BSP Tamil Nadu Chief Hacked To Death By 6 Men, 8 Suspects In Custody

In a brazen attack, the Tamil Nadu chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party was hacked to death by six bike-borne men near his house in Chennai on Friday. According to the police, eight individuals have been taken under custody in connection with the attack.

The six men attacked Armstrong when he was having a discussion with a few party functionaries near his house in the city's Sembium area and then fled. The family rushed him to a hospital, but he was declared brought dead.

Police officials said this could be a revenge murder, linked to the killing of a gangster, Arcot Suresh, last year. A senior police officer told NDTV, "We are conducting an investigation. The murder seems to be linked to an earlier killing." 

"In the murder case, we have secured 8 suspects so far. This is a preliminary investigation. Ten teams have been formed by us. We are on the job to bring the offenders to light. After the interrogation of these suspects, we will be able to find the motive behind the murder. Some sharp weapons have been used," said senior Chennai police officer Asra Garg. 

#WATCH | Chennai: On murder of Tamil Nadu BSP president Armstrong, Addl COP, Chennai North, Asra Garg says, "In the murder case we have secured 8 suspects so far. This is a preliminary investigation...Ten teams have been formed by us. We are on the job to bring the offenders to… pic.twitter.com/VxdNvh2yUc

Some reports said the attackers posed as food delivery agents, but police are yet to confirm this.

The Sembium inspector of police has been tasked with cracking the case. 

The opposition has hit out at the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu and said the killing is evidence of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. 

Leader of Opposition Edappadi Palaniswamy said, "What do I say when the state chief of a national party is murdered? The law and order is shameful. There is no fear of law or the police".

A lawyer, Armstrong was elected to the Chennai Corporation Council in 2006. He shot to fame after he organised a mega rally in Chennai two years ago and invited BSP chief Mayawati.

In a post on X, Mayawati termed Armstrong a strong voice of Dalits and called for the guilty to be punished. 

"The gruesome killing of Mr K Armstrong, Tamil Nadu state Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president, outside his Chennai house is highly deplorable and condemnable. An advocate by profession, he was known as a strong Dalit voice in the state. The state Govt. must punish the guilty," she wrote.