Tamil Nadu: Chennai Police commissioner transferred days after BSP leader K Armstrong's murder

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday transferred Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore, days after the brutal killing of Tamil Nadu Bahujan Samaj Party Chief K Armstrong in the city, news agency PTI reported.

Sandeep Rai Rathore will be replaced by senior IPS officer A Arun, who is currently the additional director general of Police (ADGP), Law and Order.

Also read | 3 more suspects arrested in BSP leader Armstrong’s murder case

According to an order issued by the home department's principal secretary P Amudha, A Arun was being posted as the ADGP/commissioner of police, Greater Chennai by downgrading the post of Sandeep Rai Rathore, IPS. He will now be appointed as DGP, Police Training College, Chennai, which is currently headed by Rajeev Kumar, IPS.

Senior IPS officer Davidson Devasirvatham, ADGP will now take over as ADGP of Law and order in place of Arun.

Home department is headed by Tamil Nadu Chief minister MK Stalin. Rathore's statement that number of murder cases in Chennai has reduced compared to last year had become controversial.

Also read | “Dravidian model a murder model now…”: BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan on BSP leader K Armstrong's killing

Armstrong was hacked to death on Friday by six men who masked as his supporters. The attackers fled the scene on bikes after committing the crime.

Police probing the murder have arrested eleven men so far in relation to the crime. Officials said the crime could be a revenge murder, linked to the killing of a gangster Arcot Suresh, who was killed a year ago, allegedly on the instructions of Armstrong.

BSP chief Mayawati who visited Chennai to pay her last respects to the slain BSP leader demanded a CBI investigation into the murder. She also alleged that real culprits behind the crime have not been arrested by the Tamil Nadu police.

Also read | Madras HC denies permission for Armstrong's burial at BSP office in Chennai

"I urge the state government, especially the CM, to ensure law and order in the state. The weaker sections, in particular, should feel safe. Had the government been serious, the accused would have been arrested. Since that is not the case, we urge the state government to refer the case to the CBI," she said.

Opposition parties like the AIADMK and the BJP have been blaming the ruling DMK for failing to maintain law and order in the state.

(With PTI inputs)