In the line of fire in Tamil Nadu Premium

Extra-judicial killings may be seen as acts rendering instant justice to appease public outrage and the political opposition following a sensational crime. But these deaths in custody, which the police often claim are acts committed in self-defence, raise serious questions about ‘punishments’ that are not established by the rule of law and violations of the constitutional right to life, guaranteed under Article 21.

Extra-judicial killings may be seen as acts rendering instant justice to appease public outrage and the political opposition following a sensational crime. But these deaths in custody, which the police often claim are acts committed in self-defence, raise serious questions about ‘punishments’ that are not established by the rule of law and violations of the constitutional right to life, guaranteed under Article 21.

On July 5, armed men posing as food delivery agents hacked the Tamil Nadu president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), K. Armstrong, to death. Armstrong, 52, was a leader representing the interests of the Scheduled Castes.

Soon after the incident, 11 suspects, eight of whom had surrendered, were arrested by the police. A previous enmity was attributed as the motive for the murder. However, suspecting a larger conspiracy in the crime, supporters of the leader and some political parties demanded investigation by an independent agency.

After the murder drew sharp criticism from civil society on the efficacy of the intelligence machinery and maintenance of law and order, the State government transferred Chennai Police Commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore and replaced him with Additional Director-General of Police A. Arun.

Early on Sunday, the city woke up to the news that Thiruvengadam, one of the accused taken into custody by the police for interrogation, was shot dead in an ‘encounter’. The police stated that Thiruvengadam was being taken to his house so that they could recover the weapons used in the murder. When the escort personnel stopped the vehicle, he allegedly escaped.

The police conducted a search and found Thiruvengadam hiding in the locality. When they tried to arrest him, he opened fire and the police retaliated in self-defence, the police said. It is not clear how Thiruvengadam escaped from a team of armed police personnel and managed to get a gun.

Hours after the incident, CCTV footage of Thiruvengadam and his associates brutally hacking Armstrong to death were shown in various television channels. The footage was released for the first time after the murder.