BJP leader K. Annamalai has alleged that Vangal Venkatesh, one of the accused in the murder of anti-sand smuggling and social activist Manivasagam, has close ties to former DMK Minister for Electricity and Excise, Senthil Balaji.
In a post shared on his official social media account, Annamalai attached a photograph purportedly showing the murder accused alongside Senthil Balaji. He wrote, “In Karur, Manivasagam, who attempted to prevent sand smuggling, has been hacked to death by a person named Vangal Venkatesh. Four others, including two women, have been severely injured. Everyone will recall former Minister Senthil Balaji’s statement during his election campaign, ‘Once the DMK comes to power, within ten minutes, sand can be extracted from rivers, and there will be no one to stop it.’ It is now known that Vangal Venkatesh, the person involved in this murder, is close to former Minister Senthil Balaji. It was also under this same DMK government that government officials who tried to prevent mineral resource looting were hacked to death inside their own offices. Now, another murder. This is a direct threat issued to the public, that ‘if you stop sand smuggling, we will kill you.’ The obvious fact that sand smugglers are acting with such impunity and committing murder without the slightest fear of the law clearly indicates that “Karur Gang” behind them. What action will Chief Minister @mkstalin going to take? Justice must be served for the death of Manivasagam. I warn that all those involved in this murder, and those behind the sand smuggling must be brought before the law and given severe punishment. Otherwise, the DMK government will face strong opposition from the people of Karur.”
கரூரில், மணல் கொள்ளையைத் தடுக்க முயற்சித்த திரு. மணிவாசகம் என்பவர், வாங்கல் வெங்கடேஷ் என்பவரால் வெட்டிக் கொலை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளார். இரண்டு பெண்கள் உட்பட, நான்கு பேர் படுகாயமடைந்துள்ளனர்.
திமுக ஆட்சிக்கு வந்ததும், அடுத்த பத்தாவது நிமிடத்தில் ஆற்றில் மணல் அள்ளலாம், அதனைத்… pic.twitter.com/Jp5O8UsSkA
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 14, 2025
Annamalai’s remarks come amid rising demands for a transparent investigation into Manivasagam’s killing and the networks behind the alleged sand mafia operating in the Karur region.
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