TVK and Joseph Vijay came to power promising a drug-free Tamil Nadu. In fact, just after taking oath as Chief Minister, Vijay thundered, “This drug culture – to control it, what steps need to be taken, what efforts must be made, from today I will take those up. It is our government’s responsibility to save our youngsters from this.”
But nearly 3 weeks after coming to power, nothing seems to have changed.
A petrol station near Thoothukudi was vandalised and its employees attacked by an alleged gang of 10 men, reportedly under the influence of alcohol and ganja, after staff objected to one of them urinating near the fuel-dispensing area. CCTV footage of the incident has since surfaced and gone viral on social media, triggering concern over law and order in the district.
The incident took place at a petrol station located in the Arasadi area on the Thoothukudi–Rameswaram Road. According to police sources and the complaint filed by petrol station employee Saurav, three men arrived at the station on a two-wheeler at around 5 pm on Tuesday to refuel their vehicle, as reported in Tamil OneIndia.
While at the station, one of the men allegedly chose not to use the restroom facilities available on the premises and instead urinated near the fuel-filling area. A petrol station employee objected to the act and reportedly warned him not to urinate in the vicinity of the pumps.
Following the confrontation, the three men allegedly threatened the employee, telling him they would not spare him for questioning them, before leaving the spot.
Approximately an hour later, the trio allegedly returned with a larger group of around 10 individuals. The group then stormed into the petrol station and allegedly attacked employees using wooden clubs, knives and sickles.
The attackers also vandalised the petrol station office and damaged property within the premises before fleeing the scene. CCTV cameras installed at the station captured the entire sequence of events, including the assault and destruction of property.
Based on a complaint lodged by the petrol station employee, the Thalamuthu Nagar police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Officers are examining the CCTV footage and have initiated a search operation to trace and arrest the suspects, who remain absconding.
The incident has drawn renewed attention to concerns over substance abuse in Tamil Nadu, particularly in light of Chief Minister Vijay’s pledge while assuming office to crack down on drug abuse among youth.
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