DMK MP and parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi on Saturday alleged that the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu had “completely broken down” following the death of a village panchayat president during a protest over a drinking water issue in Kannanallur near Valliyur.
A section of villagers in Kannanallur had staged a protest on Friday over the lack of drinking water supply in the area for the past few days, according to police. In a post on X, Kanimozhi expressed shock over the death of Maharajan, president of the panchayat council, who was allegedly attacked with a stone during a clash between protesters and others. Kanimozhi added, “The ADMK government has created a situation where children, women, and people’s representatives have no protection whatsoever. Maharajan sustained injuries after being struck by the stone and collapsed at the spot. Following the incident, the protesters stopped their agitation and attempted to take Maharajan to a hospital. The incident has prompted allegations from the opposition regarding the law and order situation in the state, with Kanimozhi demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death and immediate action against those responsible.
During the protest, panchayat president Maharajan, 54, was attempting to pacify the villagers when an unidentified person from the crowd allegedly threw a stone that hit him, police said.
He was subsequently declared dead, according to the police. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival, police said.
The reasons behind this murder must be thoroughly investigated, the culprits must be arrested immediately, and they must be brought before the law.
