Savikalpa Thapa, Pune
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MK (Ruling party of Tamil Nadu) is under suspicion after the encounter of accused Thiruvengadam in Armstrong Murder case. Thiruvengadam, a key accused in the murder of BSP leader K Armstrong was killed during a police encounter in Chennai. This happened after Armstrong’s family and partymen suspected that the accused surrendered were not the real culprits.
Talking to a reporter in Vellore the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “As Thiruvengadam is a murder accused he should have been handcuffed. The entire process should have been carried out with all safety protocols. At a time when the family of Armstrong and his partymen suspect that those who have surrendered are not the real culprits, the encounter killing of an accused has strengthened their suspicions.”
BJP President K Annamalai alleged the involvement of DMK in the murder, he tweeted “Since three DMK functionaries are involved in this murder, it seems there are efforts to bury the truth. Higher officials in the police department should investigate the encounter killing properly and investigation should be conducted expeditiously and in a fair manner.”
He also questioned about Chief Minister MK Stalin’s silence in this matter.
According to the Police, the accused Thiruvengadam was taken for evidence collection to a location in Madhavaram, north Chennai from where he tried to escape after assaulting a policeman leading to his encounter.
In a post on X(formerly Twitter) PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss said that the reason given by the police for encounter was unreliable and there was no reason for a murder accused to be taken to a place early in the morning to recover the murder weapons.
He also said “There is suspicion that this encounter killing has been executed only to safeguard a few who are involved in the murder. Since the state government’s action in the investigation of Armstrong murder case is not above suspicion, further investigation should be held under the direct supervision of the court. Investigation should be transferred to the CBI.”
Several politicians and members of Bahujan Samaj Party has been demanding for CBI investigation in the Armstrong Murder case.
On July 5, K Armstrong(52), the State Unit President of Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) was hacked to death while he was chatting with his friends near his house in Sembium, Chennai.
The CCTV footage released by Police shows two men walking past Armstrong before attacking, two men with helmets on a two-wheeler and two men wearing food delivery agent uniforms and helmet repeatedly attacking Armstrong.
According to the Free Press Journal, 11 accused were arrested and Thiruvengadam was one of them.