Chief minister MK Stalin said a fair investigation in the murder of retired sub-inspector of police Zakhir Hussain would be carried out in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. “ This government will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands. Let me inform you that not only in this case of murder, but no one can escape from the grip of the law, no matter who is involved in the crime,” he said.
The victim, Zakir Hussein, was murdered by a four member gang on Tuesday (Check) while he was returning to his residence on his two-wheeler.
On the same day, two men surrendered and confessed to the crime and police were on the lookout for two more. “Two persons from Thottipalam street have surrendered in court,” Stalin said. “A special police team has been formed to trace the others involved.”
Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that there was a land dispute between Hussein and Mohammed Thoufeeq, the chief minister said.
There had also been counter-complaints from Thoufeeq and his brother in law. A Community Service Register (CSR ), not an FIR, was registered in connection with the case in February.
Stalin said that the murder had taken place during the course of investigations.
“A serious investigation would be conducted, and the culprits and all those behind them would be investigated and brought to justice impartially,” he added.
Leader of opposition and AIADMK general Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) told the state assembly that though the victim had filed a complaint with the Tirunelveli police, and had received death threats for fighting against encroachment of Wakf land, he was not given protection.
After Hussein’s murder, a video clip from Facebook from January 8, in which he speaks about the threat to his life is doing the rounds on social media. “It’s not just one or two people, some 20-30 people are involved in giving death threats to me,” he’s seen saying in the video.
The murder of a former sub-inspector turned activist in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli rocked the assembly on Wednesday with the opposition AIADMK raising the issue of deteriorating law and order under the DMK government in the state with Chief minister M K Stalin promising justice without any bias. “This government will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands,” Stalin said. “Let me inform you that not only in this case of murder, but no one can escape from the grip of the law, no matter who is involved in the crime.”
Leader of opposition and AIADMK general Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) moved a special calling attention motion (check) on the issue. He said that though the victim Zakir Hussein had filed a complaint with the Tirunelveli police that he had received death threats for fighting against encroachment of Wakf land, he was not given protection. “No proper enquiry and action was taken,” EPS charged. The murder during the month of Ramzan has led to shock and tension in that area, EPS said.
Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that there was a land dispute between Hussein and Mohammed Thoufeeq, Stalin said. There had also been counter-complaints from Thoufeeq and his brother in law. A Community Service Register (CSR ), not an FIR, was registered in connection with the case in February. Stalin said that the murder had taken place during the course of investigations. “A serious investigation would be conducted, and the culprits and all those behind them would be investigated and brought to justice impartially,” he added.
He added that the government’s sincerity can be seen from how even MLAs who had not listed their names to speak on the motion had been allowed to take part in the discussion on the motion.
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