Over Kodanad heist, murder case, OPS camp will hold protests throughout Tamil Nadu

The camp of expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam said on Tuesday that it would stage a statewide protest on August 1 to press the DMK administration to quicken the investigation into the 2017 Kodanad heist-murder case and punish the criminals.

 

According to former AIADMK leader and OPS supporter R Vaithilingam, the rally is also intended to denounce the DMK government for’sleeping’ over the case without giving it more consideration or importance.

 

As it took place at a villa that the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa occasionally used as a camp office-cum-residence, the murder of 2017 in Kodanad, in the steep Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, continues to draw attention. The previous AIADMK leader died away in December 2016.

 

The AIADMK responded to the OPS camp by stating once more that it was just the DMK’s B-team and that the protest action was taken to promote the ‘evil motive’ of the ruling party in the Kodanad issue.

 

Vaithiligam read aloud from a statement while being supported by OPS and former AIADMK veteran Panruti S Ramachandran.

 

Vaithilingam responded, ‘It may be X or Y, those who did that should be brought to book…it is the job of the police department to find out the culprits,’ in response to a question about suspicions, if any.

 

When questioned about the suspicions, Panneerselvam further stated that it was the duty of the police force to ‘investigate in-depth’ and identify the perpetrators of the crime. We are holding a (state-wide) protest only to emphasise this, and the government is remaining silent.

 

while asked if the investigation was ‘blunted’ under the 2017–2021 AIADMK administration, while Edappadi K. Palaniswami served as Chief Minister, he responded that the answer would become clear after a thorough investigation.

 

According to Panneerselvam, it was the government’s job and responsibility to identify the perpetrators of the crime. When it was brought to his attention that he served as the deputy chief minister from 2017 to 2021, he claimed that the position had ‘no authority’ beyond the precise responsibilities he held.