Tamil Nadu: After 4 People Beheaded In 10 Days, Police Arrest 450 History-Sheeters In 48 Hours

The police also probed 870 history-sheeters and rowdy elements. They seized three country made guns and 250 machetes and knives

Chennai: Tamil Nadu police conducted an intensive 48-hour operation from Thursday and nabbed close to 450 history-sheeters from across the state in the wake of a series of beheadings and revenge killings in Tamil Nadu. The police also arrested 181 accused who were already booked under pending non bailable warrants. The arrests were made following the instructions of DGP C Sylendra Babu to conduct the massive storming operation and nabbing the criminals. 

According to a report on Times of India, the arrests have also taken place after the beheading of four people in Dindigul and Tirunelveli districts. The police also probed 870 history-sheeters and rowdy elements. They seized three country made guns and 250 machetes and knives. In Chennai alone, the police nabbed 100 history-sheeters including a woman. 

Speaking to the media, the Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal said the police took the action to give no space for rowdyism and they started the operation against rowdy elements two months ago. 

The City Police Commissioner also said that they made the arrest based on a list available with them of 6,000 rowdies. He said, they seized weapons from some of them while they will book cases against the remaining history-sheeters. The police team will also keep a watch on the history-sheeters and the operation will continue, he added, as per the report on New Indian Express. 

Meanwhile, the police arrested five people after they surrendered in Trichy court, raising the total tally of those arrested to 8 in the beheading of P Nirmala Devi (70) of Valluvar Nagar in Dindigul on Friday. All the arrested were sent to judicial custody. Nirmala Devi was also the accused in the muder of C Pasupathy Pandian, founder of Devendrakula Vellalar Kootamaippu in 2012.

Current situation similar to 1990s

A report from ABP Nadu said, the people of Tirunelveli opine that the beheadings and revenge murders are similar to the killings reported in 1995.  In the mid 1990s, the crime rate in Tirunelveli and nearby districts increased but still Tamil Nadu police stopped the bus services for 40 hours and brought the killings under control. 

Similarly, on Saturday, DGP Sylendra Babu rushed to Thirunelveli in the wake of the murders and the arrests were also in connection with the murders. In the past 10 days, four beheadings have been reported including that of a woman on Friday. In most of the incidents, the head of the corpse is placed in the memorial of the caste leaders or at their homes. 

Taking a note of all these updates, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam said that the murders are saddening him and Tamil Nadu CM Stalin should give special attention to curb the murders. 

BJP's H Raja said, MK Stalin had been criticising Tamil Nadu government for the law and order issues in the past 10 years. However, DMK has formed a government in May and the killings have only increased.