The political landscape in Tamil Nadu has been roiled by accusations from Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) leader Seeman, who on Sunday questioned the circumstances surrounding the death of K Thiruvengadam, a suspect in the high-profile Armstrong murder case. Thiruvengadam, one of eleven suspects, was killed in a police encounter, which Seeman has described as a potential “drama” staged by the ruling DMK government.The controversy erupted following the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong, who was attacked by a six-member gang outside his under-construction home in Perambur on July 5. The police had taken Thiruvengadam to a spot near a lake in Madhavaram to recover the weapons used in the murder. According to police reports, Thiruvengadam attempted to flee after attacking a policeman, prompting officers to shoot him in self-defense. Despite being rushed to a government hospital, he was declared dead on arrival.
Seeman’s statement has sparked a political firestorm. “Shockingly, an undertrial arrested in the murder case of BSP’s Tamil Nadu state leader, lovable brother Armstrong, has been killed in a police firing in Chennai’s Madhavaram. How was a prisoner under police custody shot dead? How could the police be negligent in the protection of a criminal involved in the assassination of an important political leader?” Seeman questioned.
The NTK leader condemned the incident as a glaring example of police incompetence and a deteriorating law and order situation under the DMK regime. “The Tamil Nadu government could not prevent the assassination of the state leader. It’s a shame that even a surrendered undertrial could not be saved,” he said, adding that this incident further highlights the failure of the current administration to maintain public safety and justice. “While it has been proven in many cases that police have faked firing to cover up the truth, the suspicion that those who surrendered in the Armstrong murder case are the ones guilty has now been heightened by the murder of an undertrial prisoner, Thiruvengadam,” he said.