Following the assassination of the Tamil Nadu party head, Mayawati has called for 'peace' and eight people have been detained

Mayawati urged the Tamil Nadu government to take harsh action against the perpetrators after K Armstrong, the party's state unit president, was hacked to death.

Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), asked all the members  to "maintain peace" and the Tamil Nadu government to take stern action against the culprits after the party's state unit president, K Armstrong, was hacked to death. Mayawati described the tragedy as "extremely sad and worrying," and announced that she will fly to Chennai on Sunday to pay her respects to Armstrong and meet with his family.

"The barbaric murder of K Armstrong, a hardworking and devoted BSP politician in Tamil Nadu and the state party unit president, outside his Chennai home has sent shockwaves across society. "The government should immediately take strict  action to prevent similar incidents in the future," Mayawati said.

Armstrong, 47, was conversing with fans outside his Perambur home when six guys on bikes assaulted him with machetes and sickles. Four of the assailants were disguised as food delivery agents. Following the incident, Armstrong was transported to a private hospital in the city, where he was pronounced dead. Asra Garg, Chennai Additional Commissioner (North), said that eight individuals had been detained in connection with the case. Armstrong has previously been a Chennai Corporation councillor. Mayawati has described Armstrong as a "strong voice" of Dalits. Following the tragedy, BSP members staged rallies across Tamil Nadu, seeking a CBI investigation into Armstrong's murder.

The supporters have demanding that the ADGP (intelligence) be fired for failing to prevent the murder, and that Armstrong be buried with official honors. The BSP unit further claimed that the arrested men were not the true offenders and demanded a thorough investigation. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin stated in a post on X that he has asked the police to probe the "shocking" murder "expeditiously".

"The police nabbed those responsible for the murder overnight. I'd like to express my heartfelt sympathies to all of Armstrong's party members, family, relatives, and friends who have been bereaved, and I've directed police officers to expedite the investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law," he wrote.