Amid the growing unrest between the BJP and the DMK with the former slamming the latter's rule for a flawed law and order situation in the state after the killing of a BJP leader in Chennai, the city's police have on Wednesday booked a murder case against the three people in connection with the crime. The filing of the murder case has come a day after the BJP leader was killed in a bustling street. 

According to reports, the police have said that a preliminary investigation has revealed the involvement of the three accused, identified as Sanjay, Kalaivanan, and Pradeep. An FIR has been registered against the trio under various sections including section 302 - the murder of the Indian Penal Code. 30-year-old Balachander was serving as the Chennai central district secretary of the BJP's Scheduled Caste wing. 

He was standing at a tea stall on the busy Swamy Naickar street in Chintadripet and at around 7.50 pm on Tuesday, a three-member gang had attacked Balachander and hacked him to death. With severe injuries, he was rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he was declared dead. The incident, which had happened in full public view, had drawn huge attention across and beyond the state. 

The reports say that Balachander was facing life threats and he was provided with a personal security officer by the Tamil Nadu Home Department. It has been reported that the incident could have occurred when the personal security officer was not with Balachander. The police have said that the murder may have been carried out as a result of personal enmity between Balachander and Pradeep. 

Earlier, Balachander and his relatives had filed a complaint against Pradeep, accusing him of asking for mamool (bribe) to run a garment shop. Based on the complaint filed by Balachander, Pradeep was arrested and later got released from prison. It has been suspected that Pradeep and his two associates Sanjay and Kalaivanan had plotted to take revenge on Balachander for his complaint. 

The police have obtained CCTV footage from nearby areas and have launched a manhunt to nab the assailants. Reacting to the death of a BJP leader, Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai had slammed the ruling DMK government over the flawed law and order situation. He said that no one is safe in the state. He further urged the police to immediately arrest the assailants responsible for the murder. In a social media post, Annamalai said, "The government is inactive and the police are of no use to the common man. The police must immediately find and arrest the killers." 

Addressing the media, BJP leader Karuppu Nagarajan has asked whether Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu or the capital of murder. He said, "Every day, there has been an incident like this taking place across the state. Is this the Dravidian model? Murder is taking place in front of the public and what kind of safety does a common man have here? Balachander was a young, dynamic leader of the BJP." 

SG Suryah, the state secretary of Tamil Nadu BJP, took to Twitter and wrote, "BJP SC Morcha Central Chennai District President Balachander is hacked to death in broad daylight today at Chennai. This is the 19th murder in the last 21 days just in Chennai. TN CM MK Stalin who holds Home Portfolio is busy watching his son's movie in the theatre. Absolute lawlessness." Suryah had cited a recent event where Chief Minister MK Stalin had watched a special screening of his Udhayanidhi Stalin's move 'Nenjukku Needhi'.  

On the other hand, while addressing the reporters on Tuesday, Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal had denied the claims that around 18 murders had happened in Chennai in the last 20 days. By further rebutting the reports that the law and order situation is deteriorating in the city, Jiwal has said that there has been a 25 per cent reduction in murder cases.