BSP chief from Tamil Nadu hacked to death: Mayawati reacts. Who was K. Armstrong? | Latest news from India

K Armstrong, leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Tamil Nadu, was hacked to death by a six-member gang near his house in Chennai on Friday. BSP chief Mayawati reacted strongly to the incident and said the Tamil Nadu government “must punish the culprits”.

The two-wheeler gang attacked Armstrong, a former Chennai Corporation councillor, near his house in Perambur, inflicted serious injuries on him and fled. He died on the way to hospital, police said, adding that they have launched a manhunt to trace and arrest the suspects.

“The gruesome murder of Mr. K. Armstrong, leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Tamil Nadu, outside his house in Chennai is highly unfortunate and reprehensible. He was a lawyer by profession and known as a strong voice of the Dalit in the state. The state government must punish the culprits,” Mayawati said in a post on X.

Who was BSP Tamil Nadu President K. Armstrong?

1. K Armstrong had completed his law studies at Venkateswara University, Tirupati and was practicing law in the courts of Chennai.
2. In 2006, he first served as a municipal councillor and the following year he became the chairman of the BSP’s Tamil Nadu branch.
3. In the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, he contested from Kolathur constituency and received considerable support, although he did not win.
4. Throughout his career, he consistently advocated for the rights of Dalits and the underprivileged.
5. Although the BSP has no political presence in Chennai, Amstrong, a supporter, was a prominent Dalit voice.

10 special police teams formed

Chennai police have formed ten special teams to investigate the murder of K. Armstrong.

“On the evening of July 5, Armstrong (52 years), state president of Bahujan Samaj Party, was attacked with knives by unidentified assailants while he was standing outside his house at Venugopal Samy Kovil Street in Perambur (K-1 Sembium PS border). He sustained bleeding injuries in the attack and was subsequently rushed to Apollo Hospital by the police with the help of passersby. Doctors who examined him declared him brought dead,” Chennai Police said in a statement.

“In this connection, ten special teams have been formed under the leadership of Tr. Asra Garg IPS., Addl.COP (North) to ascertain the motive behind the murder and arrest the culprits. The special teams are intensifying their search to arrest these culprits,” it added.

Reactions from the opposition

Meanwhile, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami slammed the ruling DMK party over the death of BSP president in Tamil Nadu, saying that if such a politician is murdered, then there is no point in criticising law and order in the state.

In a post on X, Palaniswami said, “It is shocking and painful to learn that BSP state president Armstrong has been hacked to death. My condolences to the BSP cadres and his family. When the state president of a national party is murdered, what is the point of criticising law and order in the DMK regime? Where do criminals get the courage to kill? I strongly condemn the DMK chief who has raised law and order to such a level that crimes are being committed without any fear of police, government or law.”

“I request MK Stalin to ensure Armstrong’s peaceful and undisturbed final resting place,” he added.

BJP spokesman ANS Prasad demanded the immediate arrest of the killers.

“Our BJP party leader has repeatedly pointed out that law and order in Tamil Nadu is deteriorating. Today a Dalit leader was murdered. Armstrong was a young and active leader of a national party,” Prasad said.

“…We request the Tamil Nadu government to ensure the immediate arrest of the killers,” he added.