Those responsible for murder of retired police officer will be brought to justice: Stalin

Chennai, March 19 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday assured that those responsible for the murder of retired police sub-inspector Zakir Hussain Bijli in Tirunelveli would be brought to justice.  

Speaking in the Assembly, Stalin emphasised that his government would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.

"Anyone involved in criminal activities will not escape the clutches of the law," he stated.

The Chief Minister's remarks came in response to a special calling attention motion moved by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami and other members of the House.

The Chief Minister revealed that the police had registered a case based on a complaint filed by Bijli’s wife and had launched an investigation. He added that two individuals from Thottipalam Street had surrendered in court, and a special police team had been formed to track down others involved in the crime. The police are also examining a video released by Bijli before his death, in which he spoke about receiving death threats.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a land dispute between the retired policeman and Krishnamoorthy, also known as Mohamed Thowfeeque, may have been the motive behind the murder. Both Bijli and Thowfeeque had filed complaints against each other, and the police had been investigating the matter.

Stalin confirmed that officers had conducted an inquiry after Bijli's video surfaced, but despite the ongoing probe, the murder took place.

Bijli was killed on Tuesday morning while returning home on his motorcycle after offering prayers. A four-member armed gang intercepted him near Kaatchi Mandapam in Tirunelveli and fatally attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. Investigations revealed that Bijli was the administrator of the Murtim Zarkhan Dargah in Tirunelveli and was engaged in a legal battle over a 36-cent land parcel in the town. Local sources suggest that the dispute was related to a plot of land adjacent to Bijli’s property, owned by the wife of Thowfeeque. Bijli allegedly claimed that the land was Waqf property and encroached upon it by installing a shed, while Thowfeeque’s family maintained that the land was a private gift from his mother-in-law.

The conflict had escalated over time, with police records showing that a case was filed against Bijli by Thowfeeque’s family in January 2025. Authorities are now investigating whether this prolonged dispute led to the murder.

Several political leaders, including Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M.H. Jawahirullah, VCK member Shanavas, CPI leader T. Ramachandram, and CPI-M leader Nagai Malai spoke on the issue. They urged the government to provide financial assistance to Bijli's family and offer a government job to one of his family members.