In a recent development that took place in Chennai, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief in Tamil Nadu, K Armstrong died after he was attacked by knife-wielding men near his residence in Chennai. The event that transpired on Friday, involved six unidentified individuals who had targeted the 47-year-old president and had left him fatally injured after stabbing him.
The police have nabbed eight culprits in connection with the case who were fleeing the scene after the assault, which was captured through CCTV footage.
In order to get a better understanding of the events that transpired we need to take a deeper look into the details of the matter at hand.
Who Was BSP Tamil Nadu Chief K Armstrong?
K Armstrong was a practicing lawyer in the courts of Chennai. He hailed from Venkateswara University in Tirupati from where he secured his law degree. Before becoming the president of BSP’s Tamil Nadu unit he had served as a corporation councillor in 2006.
Apart from his political influence, he was also immensely popular. A dedicated Ambedkarite he had devoted his life working for the upliftment of Dalits. His work towards their education and employment had made him popular amongst the youth in the Nort-Chennai region.
In the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly election, he ran for the Kolathur constituency against DMK’s MK Stalin and received significant support, even though he didn’t win. Despite his positive contributions, Armstrong’s past was not without controversy. Police records show he had a history sheet with several criminal cases against him, though it was closed a few years ago.
Armstrong also gained national prominence by organizing rallies for BSP chief Mayawati in Chennai, becoming a key figure in the party’s regional activities.
The Sequence In Which The Murder Took Place
- K. Armstrong was attacked by 6 men with machetes and sickles outside his Chennai home at 7 pm on July 5, 2024.
- He was attacked while talking to friends and supporters, and the attackers threatened those who tried to intervene.
- The gang arrived on 3 motorbikes, attacked, and escaped before anyone could respond.
- Armstrong was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
- Chennai police have formed 10 special teams to investigate and detain 8 suspects.
The motive of the murder still remains unclear, but speculations link it with the killing of Arcot Suresh last year.
A Revenge Killing?
The Chennai police suspect that the murder of Armstrong was a part of revenge for the murder of Gangster Arcot Suresh that took place last year. Arcot Suresh, known for his criminal background, was the prime suspect in a 2010 murder case at the Poonamallee court.
His brother, Ponnai Balu, had vowed to kill Armstrong, planning to do so either on Suresh’s birthday, July 5th, or on his death anniversary, August 18th. Balu and his gang hacked Armstrong to death on Friday 5th July, after which the assailants went back to their place and placed the blood-soaked sickle in front of Arcot Suresh’s photo and paid homage, said the police.
Balu and his 7 associates surrendered at the DC’s office in Anna Nagar late Friday night with the help of their lawyer.
Arcot Suresh’s Murder
Arcot Suresh was murdered by a gang on August 18th last year while he was with his friend Madhavan on Loop Road in Santhome. Madhavan, who witnessed the murder, was also hacked to death.
According to the police, both the assailants and the victim, K. Armstrong, an advocate and activist for Dalit rights, belonged to the Scheduled Castes. However, they were from different sub-castes and held longstanding grudges against each other.
Political Leaders Express Remorse
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati has condemned the gruesome killing of Tamil Nadu state Bahujan Samaj Party president Armstrong, asking the Tamil Nadu government to “punish the guilty.”
“The gruesome killing of 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,” Mayawati said in a post on X on Friday.
Meanwhile, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami has slammed the ruling DMK party over the death of BSP Tamil Nadu president Armstrong and said that if such a leader is assassinated, then what is the point of criticizing law and order in the state?
In a post on X on Friday, Palaniswami said, “It is shocking and painful after knowing BSP State President Armstrong was hacked to death. Condolences to BSP cadres and his family. If the state president of a national party is assassinated, what is the point of criticizing law and order in the DMK regime? How do criminals get the courage to kill? I strongly condemn the DMK chief who has pushed law and order to such a level that crimes are committed without fear of police, government, or the law.”
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