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Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday questioned Chief Minister Vijay over the murder case of a youth in Chennai's Tiruvottiyur, claiming that the victim had alleged police threats and sought protection from moneylender harassment but was still murdered.
"It is deeply shocking that yet another gruesome murder has taken place in the capital city of Chennai," Udhayanidhi said, referring to the killing of 26-year-old Pradeepraj, who was hacked to death a day after he filed a complaint seeking police protection. Stalin said that Pradeep had released a video before his death alleging that the Tiruvottiyur Police Inspector had threatened him, saying, "You won't stay alive... I will frame you in a false case and throw you in jail". He further said that Pradeepraj also alleged that the Inspector told him, "Go and tell the CM if you want; no one can touch me." "Do the police themselves consider the Chief Minister--who holds the police portfolio--to be a dummy CM?" Udhayanidhin asked, adding that "the circus government has created a new precedent where citizens who seek police protection end up getting murdered." He further accused Vijay of deflecting the law and order questions in the Legislative Assembly, asking what answer he now has for this murder. He further demanded that a case be registered against everyone involved, including the Tiruvottiyur Police Inspector, and that they be brought to justice. "When questioned about law and order in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister deflects by asking, "Do you know what happened in 1974? Do you know what the ED did? What answer does he have for this murder now?A case must be registered against everyone involved in this incident, including the Thiruvottiyur Police Inspector, and they must be brought to justice and given due punishment," he said. Meanwhile, Chennai Police said four persons, including a history-sheeter, have been arrested in connection with the murder case registered at Tiruvottiyur Police Station. According to police, Pradeep Raj, a resident of West Mada Street, Tiruvottiyur, was chased and attacked by an unidentified group. He had filed a complaint at the Tiruvottiyur police station a day before his death, alleging a threat to his life, and had also submitted complaints to the Chennai Commissioner's Office and the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and SP. In a video statement to the media a day before his murder, Pradeep had made allegations against the Tiruvottiyur Police Inspector. In his statement, Pradeep alleged that his family had been living in the area for the last 15 years and that his mother had taken a loan for someone else, following which they became involved in a financial dispute. He alleged that when the family approached authorities regarding the issue, a counter-complaint was filed against him, following which he was arrested. Raj further alleged that the Tiruvottiyur Inspector had threatened him during a conversation and claimed that he was being supported by the other party involved in the dispute. He also alleged that the Inspector had asked him to approach Chief Minister Vijay if he wanted to complain and claimed that he was assaulted for bringing a lawyer. Pradeep also alleged that the dispute involved the Navaneetham family over a financial matter. DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi also criticised Vijay, a former film actor, alleging that he appeared to treat such incidents like scenes from his films before showcasing his own "heroic adventures." "Another murder in the capital city of Chennai! With such murder and robbery incidents continuing day after day, it's impossible to avoid raising one suspicion," Kanimozhi said in a post on X. (ANI)
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