TVK Functionary Hacked to Death in Besant Nagar; Five Arrested
A functionary belonging to the ruling TVK was chased and hacked to death with machetes by an armed gang in Besant Nagar on Saturday night. Chennai Police have arrested at least five persons in connection with the fatal attack, which investigators suspect was a revenge killing stemming from previous enmity.
The deceased has been identified as Kannan, a history-sheeter with a prior criminal record. According to police officials, the gang ambushed Kannan on an open road before pursuing him and inflicting lethal wounds. CCTV footage documenting the violent attack subsequently surfaced and has circulated widely.
Preliminary investigations by police sources suggest that previous disputes led directly to the murder. Authorities quickly launched a crackdown following the incident, securing five suspects as part of the ongoing probe into the armed assault.
The killing in Besant Nagar triggered immediate political criticism against the administration and the ruling TVK. Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin targeted the government, alleging that the TVK had become a dumping ground where criminals seek refuge. The DMK leader stated that a history-sheeter who had joined the party was chased and hacked to death in public, questioning whether this reflected the law and order the government claimed to have established across Tamil Nadu.
Udhayanidhi noted that the killing took place in the capital just ahead of Chief Minister and TVK founder C Joseph Vijay's scheduled reply in the Tamil Nadu Assembly regarding the debate on the Police Demand for Grants, where the chief minister was set to address Opposition criticism of state security.
PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss also condemned the killing, stating that the murder of Kannan had spread fear among members of the public. Ramadoss linked the incident to three ATM heists carried out in the suburbs over the preceding fortnight, alleging that authorities have failed to implement effective measures against violent crime and robberies in the Chennai metropolitan area. He urged the government to fix accountability and strengthen police surveillance and intelligence gathering.
