Tamil Nadu BSP Chief Killed: Eight Suspects Detained; Party Workers Block Chennai Road.

At least eight individuals have been apprehended in relation to the murder of K Armstrong, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president, according to a report from news agency PTI on Saturday, based on police sources.

K Armstrong, who previously served as a councillor for the Chennai Corporation, was brutally attacked and killed by a gang of six near his residence in Perambur, Chennai, on Friday. The assailants inflicted severe injuries on Armstrong before fleeing the scene. He succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital.

Asra Garg, Additional Commissioner (North), informed reporters that the police have constituted ten teams to apprehend the accused.

"We have successfully detained eight suspects at this stage. This is an early phase of the investigation—a preliminary one. In due course, as more details and circumstances become evident, a clearer and more comprehensive picture will emerge," he stated.

Garg also mentioned that the police are currently considering "two to three possible motives" behind Armstrong's killing. However, he noted that the exact motive would only be determined following the suspects' interrogation.

BSP Workers Hold Protest in Chennai

Supporters and workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) staged a protest in Chennai in response to the tragic killing of K. Armstrong, the party's state unit president.

The demonstration led to significant traffic disruptions on Poonamallee High Road as protesters gathered outside Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital, where Armstrong's postmortem was being conducted.

According to the news agency, the protesters expressed their lack of confidence in the Tamil Nadu government and have called for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident. They have also demanded the resignation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.

In the meantime, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP leader Mayawati has denounced the brutal killing of the party's Tamil Nadu president, urging the state government to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

The heinous murder of K. Armstrong, the Tamil Nadu state president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), outside his residence in Chennai is utterly deplorable and condemnable. As a practising advocate, Armstrong was recognised as a formidable Dalit voice in the state. It is imperative that the state government ensures those responsible are brought to justice," Mayawati stated in a post on X on Friday.

Who was K. Armstrong ?

K. Armstrong earned his law degree from Venkateswara University in Tirupati and went on to practice law in the courts of Chennai.

In 2006, he began his political journey as a corporation councillor. The following year, he rose to prominence by becoming the president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s Tamil Nadu unit. Despite not winning, his candidacy in the Kolathur constituency during the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly election garnered significant support.

Throughout his career, Armstrong has been a steadfast advocate for the rights of Dalits and the underprivileged. Although the BSP lacks a substantial political presence in Chennai, Armstrong, a practising advocate, remains a respected Dalit voice in the community.