Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai
In a controversial move allegedly aimed at deflecting blame and protecting the culprits, Tamil Nadu police have filed an FIR against State BJP President K Annamalai and three others for inciting clashes following the brutal murder of a woman by alleged DMK members near Srimushnam.
The incident occurred on April 19, 2024, in Pakkirimaniyam village, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, where a woman named Gomathi was reportedly beaten to death by individuals purportedly affiliated with the DMK. Gomathi had allegedly shared with her co-villagers that she had voted for the BJP’s Lotus symbol in the recent elections.
According to reports, a group of men from the same village, all purported members of the DMK party, confronted Gomathi at her home regarding her choice of vote. In the ensuing altercation, they physically assaulted her, questioning her decision not to vote for the VCK party, an ally of the DMK, which had the Pot symbol. Gomathi succumbed to her injuries on the spot.
The incident has sparked tensions between the dominant Vanniyar caste and Dalit communities in Cuddalore, Villupuram, and neighbouring districts, with allegations of caste-based animosity and enticement of high-caste girls. Both the victim and the assailants hailed from the Vanniyar caste.
The filing of the FIR against BJP leaders for condemning the murder has further fueled controversy and raised questions about the impartiality of the police.
Tamil Nadu Police have come under scrutiny for singling out a netizen who shared a video of the news report concerning the tragic death of Gomathi. The police issued a warning on their social media platform, threatening legal action against the individual for sharing what they deemed as “false news.”
The controversy erupted when the BJP’s media wing functionary, Karthik Gopinath, accused the Tamil Nadu Police of becoming a political arm of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party. Gopinath lambasted the police for threatening nationalist netizen Sinha, who had simply quoted from news reports. Despite Sinha promptly deleting the post, the police reiterated their intention to pursue legal action against him.
Interestingly, while Sinha was singled out for sharing the video, no similar warnings were issued to news portals that originally reported on Gomathi’s death. This discrepancy in treatment further fueled suspicions of bias and favouritism within the law enforcement agency.
In response to the backlash, Tamil Nadu Police released a statement in Tamil, providing their account of the incident and justifying their actions. According to their version of events, a verbal dispute erupted between two parties in Pakirimaniam village, resulting in physical altercations. The altercation escalated, leading to the tragic death of Gomathi.
The police’s statement outlined the sequence of events and detailed the charges filed against the accused individuals involved in the altercation. Five suspects were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, highlighting the authorities’ swift response to the incident.
TN police, in a release in Tamil, explained the event and warned netizens, media of stern action for reporting false news. It said, “On 19.04.2024 at around 06.00 in the evening, a verbal dispute took place between the two parties in front of a banyan tree in Pakirimaniam village under Srimushnam police station limits. On one side, Kalaimani, his wife Deepa, and his relatives Ravi, Pandian, Indumani, Arulchezhian, Dharmaraj, Meghanathan, Raja, Vignesh (all Vanniyars), and on the other side Jayashankar, his elder brother Jayakumar, Jayakumar’s wife Gomati, and their sons Satishkumar, and Jayaprakash (all Vanniyars). The argument erupted over Jayasankar’s daughter Jayapriya’s teasing and refusal to accede to Kalaimani’s long-standing plea to withdraw the case against him for assaulting Jayakumar. In this dispute, both parties attacked each other unarmed. When Gomathi (Jayakumar’s wife) intervened and tried to stop the problem, she fell down and got injured. Gomathi was pronounced dead when he was taken to Antimadam PHC for first aid and treatment. In this connection, Srimushnam PS Cr.No. 96/2024 U/s 147, 148, 294 (b), 323, 324, 506(ii), 302 IPC r/w 4 of TN Prohibition of Harassment Act registered on 20.04.2024 at 01.00. Out of the total 10 accused persons, five namely Kalaimani Deepa (wife of Kalaimani) Ravi Meghanathan and Indumani, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 20.04.2024, were implicated.”
Annamalai, in his post on the X platform, condemned the incident. He said, “a group murdered the woman and attacked her family members led by DMK in the Lok Sabha polls at Pakkirimaniyam village under Srimushnam police station limits.”
The controversy surrounding the tragic death of Gomathi in Srimushnam village, Tamil Nadu, has taken a political turn with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Annamalai and three others being booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by the Srimushnam police.
The police refuted claims made by a section of the media and Annamalai, asserting that Gomathi’s death resulted from a quarrel between two families in the village. According to their statement, a heated altercation ensued between Kalaimani and his relatives and Jayasankar’s family, during which Gomathi sustained fatal internal injuries. Subsequently, the police booked ten individuals, including Kalaimani and his wife Deepa, on charges of murder, arresting five of them.
In response to the police’s actions, Annamalai and three others have been booked under sections 153, 504, and 505 of the IPC. The investigation is ongoing.
Annamalai further ignited the controversy by sharing a video on April 22, 2024, purportedly showing Gomathi’s family members confirming that she was assaulted by DMK/VCK members for voting for the BJP instead of the pot symbol. Annamalai condemned the FIR filed against him, accusing the DMK government of attempting to silence dissent by targeting him for exposing the truth. He vowed to continue advocating for justice and truth, despite facing legal challenges from the ruling party.
In a video statement delivered in Tamil, Annamalai refuted the police’s claim that Gomathi’s murder was a result of previous enmity, asserting that the altercation on election day was directly linked to her voting choice of the Lotus symbol. He accused the police of altering the narrative to downplay the significance of her political affiliation, emphasising that the main motive behind her fatal assault was her support for the BJP.
Annamalai’s remarks have sparked further controversy, with the BJP leader denouncing what he perceives as the police’s discriminatory treatment of BJP leaders and social media activists. He highlighted a perceived disparity in how the police handle complaints against opposition figures, particularly those belonging to the DMK and its allies, who allegedly engage in hate speech against Hindus, Prime Minister Modi, and BJP leaders without facing repercussions.
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