Police actions put ruling party on back foot

CHENNAI: The government, which initially defended the Sathankulam police for the custodial death, has decided not to extend the olive branch for the tainted police officials.

Now with the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court and human rights activists watching the case closely, the local police should have to defend themselves or face the legal process, an informed AIADMK senior said. Both Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam are being briefed about the negative comments that the government is getting due to the alleged police ‘excess’ during the lockdown.

Senior AIADMK leaders had also expressed their displeasure over police actions during the lockdown and thus a senior IPS officer is now put on waiting list, a rare occurrence in the past three years of Palaniswami rule, the source said.

“Based on court observations and the subsequent investigations. CM has ordered a CBI probe to ensure transparency and the government is with the public on Sathankulam issue, but it is DMK leader Stalin who is misguiding the public,” Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar

told reporters here on Tuesday.

“There is a strong interconnect between the traders of three districts – Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari and if this becomes a bigger issue it will affect the party and there are differences between the Sterlite issue and Jayaraj case. Though there was an initial delay. The state has now suspended the cops involved and transferred the IPS official,” an AIADMK MLA said recalling that both DGP and City police commissioner had issued advise to the police to deal the public politely.

“It looks like there is some miscommunication during the initial days, however, the CM has made course corrections.

Now we can’t say there is a time lag from the government side as the state has taken few checks and balances in the issue,” opined ousted AIADMK leader KCP Palaniswami.

The DMK is also politicising the issue and the AIADMK govt should now trace back the custodial deaths that occurred during the DMK regime and they should submit those details in the court, the former MP added.

BJP state president L Murugan welcomed the decision to transfer the case to CBI and said that the opposition DMK was unnecessarily politicising the issue. For the mistake of a few police personnel criticising the entire police department is not fair, Murugan told reporters.