A spate of murders — revenge killings as well as political killings — in the last few months has become a source of discomfiture for the ruling All India NR Congress (AINRC). Almost all opposition parties have attacked the government for losing its grip over law and order.
What is most embarrassing for Chief Minister N. Rangasamy was that in the recent murder of AINRC functionary Velayudham, the victim and the accused were projected to have close connections with the ruling party and also shared a personal vibe with the Chief Minister himself — this has led opposition parties, including the Congress to call for CBI probe.
The killing of Manoharan (32), a Congress functionary, on Friday, who was hacked to death in broad daylight, that too, on a busy road, marked the second such murder within a month.
It is reliably learnt that Lieutenant Governor A.K. Singh had given the police top brass a dressing-down over the deterioration of law and order. The very next day, the police announced the arrest of five persons and said a few more accused were on their radar. On November 6, a gang of 11 persons hacked to death Velayudham, a functionary of the ruling AINRC in full public view when he entered into a digital banner printing outlet at Bajanai Madam Street in Thanthai Periyar Nagar to print digital banners for his niece’s wedding. Both the murders were a revenge killing. The gang that killed N. Manoharan was also involved in the brutal murder of his brother N. Kamaraj, a functionary of the Youth Congress on November 19, 2013.
Suresh, a notorious history sheeter was also hacked to death by a gang near the Oussudu Lake in September.
It is also significant that most of the murders were committed due to gang rivalry. Though these incidents have caused a sense of insecurity among the people the police claim that the situation was under control.
A top police officer told The Hindu , “Anti-social elements are easily getting bail from courts after committing heinous crimes. This has emboldened them. We will be keeping track of those released from prisons on bail and record their movement.”
Deputy Inspector General of Police Jegadeesan Kannan told The Hindu , “The Police Department will keep a close watch on all anti-socials and rowdies. This will be done station-wise. Visible policing will be increased in all the areas to instill confidence among the people,” he added.
V. Perumal, secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), said that in the last few years, the murders of political functionaries had been increasing due to various factors including business rivalry among them. Now-days the local functionaries have been aiming to show supremacy.
On Friday, Lieutenant Governor A.K. Singh took stock of the law and order situation in Puducherry with Chief Secretary Chetan B. Sanghi and police officials.