DMK President MK Stalin on Wednesday launched a sharp verbal attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM) C Joseph Vijay over a string of recent crime incidents, which have jolted the state, alleging that the law and order situation had been deteriorating and that people were increasingly feeling unsafe.
In a strongly-worded post on ‘X,’ Stalin cited several statistics pertaining to murders and violent incidents emerging from Tamil Nadu within a 24-hour period. He questioned whether the police were conducting adequate patrolling and keeping track of people with criminal antecedents.
TN CM Vijay (Left) and MK Stalin (Right)
His post read, “North, south, west and the capital — crime incidents are rampant in every direction. Whether it is broad daylight or midnight, Tamil Nadu is drenched in blood. People are suffering in a situation where there is no safety either at home or outside.”
Stalin highlights recent instances of crimes
Among the incidents highlighted by Stalin was the murder of Sathyaseelan in Mylapore, where police have registered a case and have constituted special teams to probe the incident. He then referred to the killing of a man aged 41 in Tiruttani, who had reportedly complained to the cops about the harassment of his teenage daughter.
Police are probing whether the earlier complaint had any connection with the murder. The veteran political leader further cited the reported murder of an elderly woman named Janabai in Salem, alleging that she was strangled at her home during the day, besides being robbed of her jewellery.
Another incident elaborated by the DMK leader was the alleged hacking of Veerabhadran in the Dindigul district after he showed up at the Sanarpatti police station to sign bail. Stalin questioned whether adequate surveillance was being kept on people with criminal records.
Representative image
Thereafter, he underlined a reported killing near Samayanallur in Madurai, the alleged stabbing of Shyam Sundarraj near a TASMAC outlet in Sholavandan and an attempted attack on students at Ennore Railway Station.
Stalin raises questions on Singappen force
Stalin posed a question on the efficacy of police patrolling and monitoring across the state. He asked, “Are the cops carrying out patrols or not?,” while also questioning the functioning of the state’s ‘Singappen’ special force, tasked with safeguarding women.
He opined that the situation was particularly alarming when people approaching police with complaints themselves fell prey to violence. He asked, “When complaints are filed at police stations, and the complainants themselves become victims of murder, when will this lawlessness end?”
“Break free from your shooting mode”: Stalin’s jibe at Vijay
Stalin then took a jibe at CM Vijay over his handling of the home portfolio, arguing that the latter needed to recognise the gravity of the situation instead of offering explanations.
He wrote in his post, “The law and order situation in Tamil Nadu is heading towards an extremely dangerous precipice day by day. The Chief Minister, who should focus on saving citizens’ lives, is consumed entirely with protecting his own chair. Innocent human lives are being sacrificed as the price.”
While concluding his statements, he urged CM Vijay to take immediate action and ended his statement with a pointed reference to his cinematic background. He said, “The time for making excuses has passed. Break free from your ‘Take-Action’ #ShootingMode, and Please Take Action, CM Sir!”.