Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong murder: One of the accused shot dead by TN police

Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong murder: Thiruvendagam, one among the 11 accused, was shot dead in an extra-judicial killing, said the police on Saturday. Police took K Thiruvengadam, 33-year-old, to a spot near a lake in Madhavaram, where the weapons used to attack and kill Armstrong were hidden.

Thiruvendagam tried to attack the police with the recovered weapons and escape, police said as reason for shooting him. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.

The accused, Thiruvendagam is reported to have followed the Tamil Nadu BSP chief for several days, ahead of the murder on July 5, 2024. He was on a constant lookout and kept a tab on the chief's activities.

Earlier, Sembian police had taken the 33-year-old Thiruvengadam into custody, on July 11 for five days. He was taken to Parangimalai Armed Reserve Station for questioning, reported India Today.

The Tamil Nadu BSP chief was allegedly hacked to death by a group of bike-borne riders, outside his residence in Perambur, Chennai. Thiru Armstrong's body was laid to rest in Bunder Garden on July 7, said Mayawati on X.

Mayawati had strongly condemned the killing, urging the M.K Stalin led government to punish the guilty. She said the killing of Armstrong was a gruesome act, who was a strong dalit voice in the state. “The gruesome killing of Mr. 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 posted on X, after the news of the murder.

Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi had also said on X that he was shocked by the brutal killing of Thiru Armstrong. He said that the Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu have been in constant touch with the state government to ensure the culprits are caught.