Chennai: The Tamil Nadu president of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), K Armstrong, was allegedly hacked to death near his residence in Chennai on Friday night, police said.
According to the police, the BSP leader was attacked by a group of six people who came on three bikes, attacked him with knives and fled the scene.
The incident took place around 7.30pm when Armstrong was speaking to some people outside near his residence in Perambur in the northern region of Chennai, said police.
Following the attack, he was rushed to a private hospital in the city, where he succumbed to his injuries. Armstrong suffered serious injuries to his head and neck in the attack.
Police said that a murder case was registered against the unidentified accused and a special team has been formed to track the suspects, adding that the whole locality has been brought under a security blanket.
Although the BSP does not have a political presence in Chennai, Amstrong, an advocate, was a known Dalit voice. He served as a ward Councillor of the Greater Chennai Corporation in 2006.
The opposition and ruling party’s allies expressed shock over the murder.
{{/usCountry}}The opposition and ruling party’s allies expressed shock over the murder.
{{/usCountry}}“The Tamilnadu government should take steps to quickly arrest and punish the killers,” said parliamentarian D Ravikumar of ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK- formerly the Dalit panthers of India).
“I strongly condemn the DMK government which has pushed law and order to such a bad level that a state president of a national party can be murdered and crimes are committed without fear of police, government or the law,” said All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami.
“Violence & brutality has no place in our society but has become a norm in TN in the last 3 years under the DMK regime,” BJP state president K Annamalai posted on X.