Left urges Tamil Nadu to act fast to arraign anti-socials

CHENNAI: The CPM and CPI have expressed shock over the killing of 11 people, including a police officer, two minors and a young woman, at different places across Tamil Nadu on Deepavali (November 8), and urged the state government to take immediate steps to prevent such incidents.

In a statement, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said the murders, which took place on a single day, had caused widespread shock among the public.

He said the incidents were too widespread to be dismissed as isolated crimes and called for immediate measures to prevent their recurrence. CPI state secretary M Veerapandian also expressed shock over the murders. He said the victims included a special sub-inspector of police, two minors, a young woman and three history-sheeters.

The CPI state executive committee urged the state government and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to pay greater attention to preventing murders, robberies, sexual violence and drug-related activities and maintaining law and order.

"The state government should pay greater attention to ensuring public safety and putting an end to the drug culture," he said, conveying the party's demand on behalf of its state executive committee.