Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of the party’s Tamil Nadu chief, K Armstrong. Meanwhile, the police suspect the involvement of the associates of a slain gangster, Arcot Suresh, in the killing of the BSP leader.
Mayawati today claimed those arrested by the local police were not the real culprits.
“The way he was killed, shows there is nothing called law and order in Tamil Nadu. Those who have killed him, the real culprits have not been nabbed,” she said.
She also threatened the government that her party would launch a protest.
“Our party has taken this incident very seriously and we will not sit quietly. Our state unit will not sit quiet and will exert pressure on the state government to refer this case to the CBI… I will pray to god to give his family and supporters strength to bear the loss… To ensure action against the accused, the party cadre should come forward but at the same time, stay within the limits of law and show that the weaker section does not take the law into their hands,” she added.
What did the police say about K Armstrong’s murder?
On Friday, Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong was hacked to death near his residence in Chennai’s Perambur.
The police have arrested eight people and seized seven blood-stained weapons.
In an interview with ANI on Sunday, Asra Garg, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), North Chennai, said, “After sustained interrogation, due analysis, and diligence regarding the facts and circumstances of each suspect, we have arrested eight people. We have seized seven blood-stained weapons, one Zomato t-shirt, a Zomato bag, and three bikes that were used in the commission of the offence.”
The officer said the associates of Arcot Suresh believed that Armstrong plotted Arcot Suresh’s murder last year.
The officer said that a gang murdered Arcot Suresh in August 2023.
“Armstrong was murdered by associates of Arcot Suresh, including his brother, who we have arrested,” added the ACP.
On Saturday, the Chennai police had ruled out any political angles in the BSP leader’s murder.
With inputs from ANI, PTI