Tamil Nadu: Days After BSP Leader K Armstrong's Killing, NTK Functionary Hacked To Death In Madurai

Days after the killing of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president K Armstrong in Chennai, C Balasubramanian, a deputy secretary of the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) in Madurai North, was hacked to death by a group of unknown assailants.

The assault happened when he was going for a walk. While Balasubramanian ran from the location, he was chased and killed at Vallabhai Road, which is near the residence of the state's former finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan.

This is the third such killing of functionaries of political parties in the state in recent times.

On 3 July, M Shanmugam, a branch secreatary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was killing in Salem. His wife, S Parameshwari, said that Shanmugam was targeted for filing complaints against the illegal sale of lottery tickets and drug menace in the area. A Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) councillor was among those arrested on the basis of the complaint filed by his wife.

While these three slain leaders belonged to political parties in the opposition, the state also saw the mysterious death of a Congress leader in Tirunelveli in May 2024.

The charred body of K P K Jeyakumar Dhanasingh was discovered from a farmhouse a few days after he had gone missing. Dhanasingh was the party president for Tirunelveli East district.

The series of killings has raised questions over the state of law and order in Tamil Nadu under Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Also Read: Murder Of BSP Leader Armstrong In Chennai And The Reality Of Dalit Politics In Tamil Nadu