In a police encounter in Chennai on 22 September 2024, ‘Seizing‘ Raja, a gangster wanted for the murder of Tamil Nadu Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief K. Armstrong, was shot dead. This is the third encounter related to Armstrong’s murder since A Arun took over as Chennai Police Commissioner on 8 July 2024.
‘Seizing‘ Raja was arrested by police in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district on Sunday (22 September 2024) and brought to Chennai for questioning. He was taken to the Neelankarai area to help locate hidden weapons. According to police, Raja allegedly fired at the officers, leading them to respond by shooting him twice in the chest and stomach. He was transported to a private hospital where he was pronounced dead, and his body has since been moved to a government hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Seizing Raja had 33 pending cases, including five for murder, and had been detained under the Goondas Act five times. His wife, however, denied any involvement in Armstrong’s murder, claiming that her husband had not engaged in criminal activities for the past two years. She also expressed fears of a “fake encounter,” stating that she had all the proof of his alibi for the Armstrong murder case.
#JUSTIN ஆம்ஸ்ட்ராங் கொலைக்கும் எனது கணவருக்கும் எந்த சம்பந்தமும் இல்லை – ரவுடி சீசிங் ராஜாவை என்கவுன்ட்டர் செய்யப்போவதாக நேற்றே அவர் மனைவி வெளியிட்ட வீடியோ #SeizingRaja #Police #Arrest #Wife #Video #News18tamilnadu | https://t.co/7dpn9FCtgj pic.twitter.com/jfOSuLSftU
— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) September 23, 2024
Third Encounter Since Arun Took Over As Chennai Police Commissioner
This is the third encounter since A. Arun assumed office as Chennai’s Police Commissioner. The first occurred on 14 July 2024 when K. Thiruvengadam, another suspect in Armstrong’s murder, was killed by police in Madhavaram. The second, on 18 September 2024, involved ‘Kakka Thoppu’ Balaji, a notorious gangster wanted in over 50 cases, who was shot dead in Vyasarpadi after reportedly attacking police officers.
Armstrong Murder Case
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. Armstrong, a practicing advocate and councillor for Greater Chennai Corporation, championed the marginalized sections of society. Despite facing numerous criminal cases filed by the state police, he earned a strong reputation among Dalits for his contributions to their socioeconomic development. Armstrong’s popularity surged after he highlighted the welfare of Dalits in subaltern Chennai. He unsuccessfully contested against Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin in the 2011 Assembly polls. His advocacy for Dalit rights made him a target for non-Dravidian parties critical of his stance against atrocities committed against Dalits.
Raja’s body is currently at the Royapettah Government Hospital, where police security has been heightened.
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