Chennai: Even before the horror of three members of a North Indian guest workers’ family being killed, packed in sacks and dumped in different places fades away, more and more crime incidents from Tamil Nadu are alarming the public about safety under the Dravidian Model governance.
In Kallakurichi, where the illicit hooch tragedy shocked the nation a couple of years ago, the district once again finds itself in the media spotlight. Two guest workers’ bodies were found floating in wells at different locations, reinforcing concerns that North Indian worker are finding difficulty with law and order in the state. The deceased have been identified as Banu Mando and Amarjit Singh.
வடமாநிலத்தை சேர்ந்த இரு தொழிலாளர்கள் கள்ளக்குறிச்சியில் வெவ்வேறு இடங்களில் கிணற்றில் சடலமாக மீட்பு!😥
தமிழ்நாட்டுல வாழ்றோமா வட கொரியால வாழ்றோமானே தெரியல😷 pic.twitter.com/jB3Tso1zD6
— priya (@PriyankaSmile01) January 30, 2026
Police said a 64-year-old farmer, Rajendran, from Maligampattu village under Kadampuliyur police limits, was doused in petrol and set on fire at a village near Panruti in Cuddalore district on the night of January 29 by his daughter-in-law’s lover for objecting to their affair. He suffered 70 per cent burns on the neck, back and lower hip. It is learnt that Rajendran was riding pillion with his friend Kandan when three men in a van intercepted them. Two assailants got down, poured petrol on Rajendran and set him on fire after chasing Kandan away. They then fled the spot.
திமுக ஆட்சியில் தினந்தினம் சீரழியும் சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு!
கடலூர் மாவட்டம் மாளிகம்பட்டு கிராமத்தில் நட்டநடு சாலையில் வைத்து 70 வயதான விவசாயி ஒருவரை மர்ம கும்பல் பெட்ரோல் ஊற்றி எரிக்க முயற்சித்திருப்பது மிகுந்த அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.
தமிழகத்தில் சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு என்னும் வார்த்தை இன்னும்…
— Nainar Nagenthran (@NainarBJP) January 30, 2026
Condemning the incident, BJP state president Nainar Nagendran questioned whether law and order still existed or had been permanently laid to rest. He said there was no safety in the capital Chennai or in villages, and no safety even for toddlers or elderly senior citizens either at home or on the roads. He added that people were not prepared to give this government another chance to suffer nightmarish days and said the days were not far when the state would be freed from their clutches.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, echoing similar concerns, said people were waking up every day with fear about what might happen next and were being forced into such a situation. He demanded that the police arrest the culprits immediately. In another heart-wrenching incident, a schoolboy was thrown into a fire by his two classmates after being mocked for his complexion. The boy belongs to the Irular Scheduled Tribe community.
மாணவனை எரியும் குப்பையில் தூக்கி வீசிய சக மாணவர்கள்.. "நீ கருப்பா இருக்க.. ஜாதி பெயர் சொல்லி.." அழுது கதறிய தாய்..! #studentissue #Tiruppur pic.twitter.com/e3UgkhD9JS
— Thanthi TV (@ThanthiTV) January 31, 2026
The Class 8 student became a victim of caste discrimination in Kunnathur in Erode district. Reports say that before throwing him into the burning fire, the accused abused him using caste names and mocked him in offensive language. The boy suffered serious burn injuries and is currently undergoing treatment in hospital.
#NewsTamil24x7BREAKING | தீயில் தூக்கி வீசப்பட்ட மாணவன்
ஈரோடு மாவட்டம் குன்னத்தூரில் சாதிய கொடுமைக்கு உள்ளான 8-ம் வகுப்பு மாணவனை தீயில் தூக்கி வீசிய கொடூரம்
சக மாணவர்கள் இருவரின் கொடூர செயலால் பள்ளி மாணவனுக்கு பலத்த தீக்காயம்
சாதி பெயரை சொல்லி இழிவுபடுத்தி, கிண்டலடித்த… pic.twitter.com/s4ETo3CQ5L
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) January 30, 2026
In a land dispute in Ruthrappalayam in Tiruppur district, workers were tied, disrobed and forced to drink urine. Five persons have been arrested and a search is on to nab other absconding accused. Locals later laid siege to the police station demanding stern action.
சிறுநீர் குடிக்க வைத்து கொடூரம்
🙄😯 pic.twitter.com/yFxQJhYLdV— Sonia Arunkumar (@rajakumaari) January 31, 2026
Their only fault was airing grievances about poor infrastructure in their area to a TV channel, for which they were immediately targeted. On seeing the media crew and locals, mostly from the Irular tribal community, giving statements to a television channel, a local DMK functionary allegedly threatened both the journalists and residents with dire consequences. DMK, critics say, has mastered the art of gagging the press that exposes its failures, high-handedness and atrocities.
Condemning the act, Nainar Nagendran said DMK had become a refuge for rowdies and that their real face was now being exposed. The incident occurred at Chellampattidai near Sriperumbudur in Kanchipuram district.
பத்திரிகையாளர்களை மிரட்டுவதுதான் @arivalayam-த்தின் பகுத்தறிவா?
காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டம் ஸ்ரீபெரும்புதூர் அருகே செல்லம்பட்டிடை என்ற பகுதியில் உள்ள இருளர் குடியிருப்பைச் சேர்ந்த மக்கள், தங்களுக்குத் தேவையான அடிப்படை வசதிகளை அரசு செய்து தர வேண்டுமென ஊடகத்திற்குப் பேட்டியளித்த ஒரே… pic.twitter.com/JXF7PyalM5
— Nainar Nagenthran (@NainarBJP) January 30, 2026
In another disturbing episode, a reporter and cameraman who went to film illegal quarry operations were allegedly abducted and beaten black and blue, raising serious questions about press freedom under the DMK government. The journalists were attacked by a group of men while probing alleged illegal mining activity in Karur district on 30 January.
திமுக MLA பழனியாண்டி
50ரவுடிகளுடன் வந்து செய்தி சேகரிக்க வந்த @NewsTamilTV24x7
நிருபரை கொலை வெறி தாக்குதல்கரூரில் கனிம வளங்கள் கொள்ளை போவதை தடுப்பதற்காக துணிச்சலுடன் களத்திற்கு சென்ற திருச்சி நிருபர் கதிரவன்
குவாரியை திமுக எம்.எல்.ஏ. பழனியாண்டி நடத்தி வருவதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது… pic.twitter.com/f5qMSn0Pdj
— Gowri Sankar D (@GowriSankarD_) January 30, 2026
Tiruchirappalli-based reporter Kathiravan and cameraman Sabastian of a satellite TV channel were injured in the attack by a group of around 50 men, allegedly supporters of a local politician, Palaniaandi, when they went to Krishnarayapuram to inquire into illegal mining activity. It is learnt that the legislator is facing criminal cases linked to his past activities.
இரக்கமே இல்லாமல் கொடூர தாக்குதல்..! வீடியோ எடுக்க சென்ற செய்தியாளருக்கு இப்படியா..!#Karur #ReporterAttack #MediaAttack #JournalistSafety #PressFreedom #MafiaAttack #CrimeNews #TamilNaduNews #KarurNews #NewsReporter #TamilNews #NewsTamil #NewsTamil24x7 pic.twitter.com/sYjXnbCzBF
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) January 30, 2026
Following widespread condemnation from the media fraternity and opposition political parties, police rescued the injured journalists and admitted them to hospital. No arrests have been made so far. The Tamil Nadu Journalists’ Welfare Union alleged that the quarry was owned by a DMK legislator.
In a statement, it said, “It appears minerals were being mined illegally in violation of rules. Tamil TV journalist Kathiravan and cameraman Sabastian, who had gone to cover the news, were brutally attacked by a gang of around 50 people.”
Taking to X, former Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai said the journalists were attacked with the intention of killing them for questioning illegal mineral exploitation. He said the people of Tamil Nadu were fully aware that these rowdies were operating under DMK protection and questioned whether the government was ruling for smugglers and criminals. He demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and strict action against everyone involved in the illegal quarry operations.
