Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the house of the murdered BSP State President K Armstrong in Chennai on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister paid a floral tribute to the portrait of Armstrong and consoled the wife of the deceased and other close relatives.
Armstrong was hacked to death last Friday evening by a group of unidentified men near his residence in Perambur, Chennai.
The Chennai police suspect the involvement of associates of gangster Arcot Suresh, who was murdered in August last year, in the murder.
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."
Highlighting the suspected motive behind the killing, ACP Garg mentioned that the associates of gangster Arcot Suresh, who was assassinated last year, believed it was "conspired" by Armstrong.
"In continuation of this, the special teams formed by the Chennai police have secured three more suspects. The preliminary investigation so far indicates that the motive prima facie appears to be based on different types of analysis. In August 2023, Arcot Suresh was murdered by a gang; his family and associates believe it was done under the direction or in conspiracy with Armstrong, who was murdered on Friday," he stated.
The Chennai police have formed special teams to comprehensively probe the case.
BSP Supremo Mayawati On The Brutal Killing Of K Armstrong
Earlier on Saturday, the BSP supremo, Mayawati, called for immediate action from the Tamil Nadu government. "The brutal murder of a hardworking and dedicated leader of the BSP in Tamil Nadu and the state party unit president K. Armstrong outside his Chennai residence yesterday evening has sent shockwaves across society. The government should immediately take strict and necessary action to prevent such incidents in the future," she said in a post on 'X'.
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Annamalai said that the murder of Armstrong has highlighted the poor state of law and order in the state.
"We are extremely saddened by the death of a prominent leader in Tamil Nadu, BJP chief K Annamalai...this murder has showcased the poor law and order in Tamil Nadu and DMK govt's denial. Tamil Nadu has become a land where murders are happening on one hand and surrenders are happening on the other, people come out of jail very fast and they commit murder again... the government has to first acknowledge...until they let the Police act freely, there is not going to be an end to this menace..," Annamalai said speaking to reporters on Monday.
