TVK functionary hacked to death in Chennai’s Besant Nagar, five arrested

A ruling TVK functionary, Kannan, was hacked to death by an armed gang in Chennai's Besant Nagar, with police arresting five suspects. A history-sheeter, Kannan was allegedly killed over previous enmity. The murder triggered Opposition criticism of Tamil Nadu's law and order

Chennai: A functionary of the ruling TVK was hacked to death by an armed gang in Besant Nagar here, police said on Sunday, with the murder drawing criticism from the Opposition over the state’s law and order situation. Police have arrested at least five persons in connection with the murder so far, officials said.

The deceased, identified as Kannan, was chased and attacked with machetes on Saturday night, police said. According to police, Kannan was a history-sheeter with a criminal record. CCTV footage of the attack has since surfaced and been widely shared.

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Preliminary investigation suggested previous enmity as the likely motive, pointing to a revenge killing, police sources said. The murder drew immediate political criticism, with Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin targeting the government and alleging that the TVK was a “dumping ground where criminals seek refuge”.

Taking a swipe at the administration, the DMK leader said a history-sheeter who had joined the ruling TVK was chased and hacked to death on an open road, and questioned whether this was the “Vettri” law and order the government claimed to have established in Tamil Nadu. The incident came a day before Chief Minister and TVK founder C Joseph Vijay is scheduled to respond to the Opposition’s criticism of the law and order situation in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

“Ahead of the Hon’ble Chief Minister replying to the debate on the Police Demand for Grants tomorrow, a functionary of his own party has been murdered in the capital,” Udhayanidhi said in a post on X. Joining the Opposition’s criticism, PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss cited the murder along with three ATM heists in the suburbs over the past fortnight to target the government’s handling of security.

Ramadoss said the killing of Kannan had triggered fear among the public and alleged that no effective measures were in place to curb violent crime and robberies in the Chennai metropolitan area. He urged the administration to fix accountability and significantly strengthen police surveillance and intelligence gathering.