PMK Functionary Attacked By 4 ‘Unknown’ Assailants With Sickles In Cuddalore, Admitted To Hospital In Serious Condition

Just days after the assault on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Armstrong, another Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) functionary was attacked by four unknown assailants wielding sickles in Cuddalore. This incident has sent shockwaves throughout Tamil Nadu.

Sivashankar, a PMK functionary residing in Surappanayakan chavadi, was assaulted with a sickle by a group of four individuals who then fled the scene. He has been hospitalized in critical condition at Cuddalore Government Hospital. This incident has caused unrest in Cuddalore, with the police actively investigating the attackers.

Only a day back, K Armstrong, the Tamil Nadu state unit president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), was brutally murdered on 5 July 2024 evening near Perambur in Chennai. He was attacked by a gang of six assailants while chatting with friends and supporters near his residence. The attackers, armed with machetes and sickles, threatened anyone who tried to intervene, causing Armstrong’s friends to flee. His family rushed to the scene upon hearing his cries, only to find him grievously wounded and lying in a pool of blood. He was quickly taken to a nearby private hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

According to police sources, the gang arrived on three motorcycles around 7 pm, carried out the attack, and fled before supporters could respond. Senior police officials including Deputy Commissioner I Eswaran and Assistant Commissioner Praveen Kumar visited the crime scene. A special investigative team under Sembium Inspector of Police Chiranjeevi has been formed to apprehend the suspects, and security in the area has been tightened to prevent further violence.

The police are exploring the possibility of a rivalry with a criminal from North Chennai, currently incarcerated, as a motive for the murder. In August 2023, Arcot Suresh and his associate Madhavan were assaulted by a gang near Pattinampakkam in Chennai. During the incident, Arcot Suresh tragically lost his life, while Madhavan survived. Five months later, Madhavan himself was killed in another attack by a separate gang. Ponnai Balu, the brother of Arcot Suresh, has been implicated in the murder of BSP leader Thennarsu back in 2015. His other brother, known as bomb Saravanan, is suspected in the murder of Arcot Suresh last year, according to police sources. Currently, Ponnai Balu is accused in the murder of BSP leader Armstrong. He is the sibling of Arcot Suresh, a notorious criminal who was slain by a rival gang in Chennai the previous year. Chennai police have arrested Arcot Balu, along with seven others, in connection with Armstrong’s murder a senior police official confirmed.

Armstrong, a lawyer by profession, had a troubled past with previous criminal cases, though his legal troubles reportedly ceased a decade ago. He rose to prominence through his association with former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, organizing rallies in Chennai and establishing himself as a prominent Dalit leader despite the BSP’s limited influence in Tamil Nadu. So far, 8 suspects have been arrested.

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