CHENNAI: Strongly condemning the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party's Tamil Nadu unit president K Armstrong in Chennai on Friday, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami said the state president of a national party being brutally murdered indicated the deteriorating law and order in the state.

He wondered how the perpetrators mustered courage to resort to such brutal killing.

"I strongly condemn the DMK regime for reducing the law and order to such a level that crimes are committed without fearing the government, the police and the law of the land," said Palaniswami in a statement.

Armstrong was hacked to death by unidentified men, who came in two-wheelers, in Sembiam in Perambur around 7 pm.

Palaniswami expressed condolences to the party cadres and Armstrong's family members, and demanded Chief Minister MK Stalin to arrest the murderers at the earliest and take stern action against them.

He also asked the state government to ensure that Armstrong's final procession and the funeral are held without incidents.