Blaming the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, Bahujan Samaj Party national president Mayawati on Sunday called for a CBI probe into the gruesome murder of party Tamil Nadu unit chief K Armstrong. She also demanded that the real culprits involved in the murder be arrested.
Paying her last respects to the slain leader by placing a wreath, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, who landed earlier in the morning by air, told the media that the real culprits involved in the ghastly killing have not been arrested yet. She was dismissive of the eight accused who have been arrested following their surrender hours after the murder late on Friday night.
“Those who have been arrested are not the real accused,” she maintained, echoing the views of the party local functionaries and many political parties, including the allies of the ruling DMK like the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) of Thol Thirumavalavan, MP.
“We are not hopeful of the state government ensuring justice in this matter. The probe should be transferred to the CBI immediately,” she said, expressing anguish and adding that Dalits across the state are very much apprehensive following the murder of Armstrong and their safety should be assured.
Urging Chief Minister MK Stalin to refer the matter to the CBI immediately, Mayawati pointed out that only this would ensure justice to the victim’s family.
“The way he (Armstrong) was killed by assailants late in the evening, shows that there is nothing called law and order in Tamil Nadu,” the BSP leader alleged, lending credence to the opposition chorus against the DMK government. However, she appealed to the party workers not to take the law into their hands.
Earlier, Mayawati consoled Armstrong’s wife, carrying her two-year-old daughter, and other family members and assured that the party would support and stand by them. The state government should give them protection, she added. Paying rich tributes to the slain leader, she said Armstrong had carried out the party programmes with commitment and was in the forefront of taking up the Dalit cause.
Leaders of various political parties and film personalities including ace filmmaker Pa Ranjith and national award winning director Vetri Maran have paid homage to the body, kept in state at the Corporation School ground in Perambur. The burial would take place after the family identifies a suitable place instead of the BSP party office. Hearing a plea of Armstrong’s wife, Porkodi, the High Court had asked the family to choose a suitable place from those suggested by the government for passing orders.
Meanwhile, Chennai City Police Commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore said with three more arrests, the total number of suspects held in connection with the murder had gone up to 11. The arrests were made after analysing the mobile phone signals of the accused and CCTV footage at the scene of crime, he added.
Chief Minister Stalin had, on Saturday, expressed shock over the brutal murder and directed the cops to speed up the pace of the investigation and nab all those involved in the crime.