Vellore Shooting Adds To Tamil Nadu's Law And Order Debate After Diwali Killings

Chennai: A man was shot dead and another injured in an alleged shooting over a personal dispute in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district, adding to the political storm over a spate of murders reported across the state on Diwali.The victim, identified as Gnanavel, 43, was allegedly shot by Poovarasan, 28, near a bus stop in Sengkundram village, close to Gudiyatham. According to the police, the two men had a previous enmity. Investigators suspect that Poovarasan used a country-made firearm in the attack.A second man, identified in local reports as Raghu, 40, who was standing near Gnanavel, was also shot and sustained injuries.A police officer told NDTV, "Gnanavel and Poovarasan have a previous enmity. Besides, Gnanavel had allegedly intimidated a friend of Poovarasan. This triggered the crime. It was spontaneous. We are investigating."The injured man was admitted to the hospital, while Gnanavel was declared dead. Poovarasan allegedly fled the scene after the shooting and is currently on the run.The shooting comes amid a growing political confrontation over law and order in Tamil Nadu, following multiple murders reported across the state on Diwali on November 8.READ | Tamil Nadu Cop Pushed, Assaulted After Argument Over Firecrackers, DiesReports put the toll at around 10 to 11 people killed in separate incidents across the state, including a Special Sub-Inspector in Theni, a young woman in Tiruvallur, two teenagers in Samayapuram, and an IT employee in Tiruchirappalli.DMK MP Kanimozhi has accused the TVK government of failing to respond to the deaths. In a post on X, she said reports of 11 murders in a single day were shocking and pointed to the grief of families even as the state celebrated the festival. She also took a swipe at Chief Minister Vijay, saying people should not be expected to tolerate everything indefinitely.Former deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami have also criticised the government over the killings, questioning its ability to maintain public safety.The ruling TVK, however, has sought to counter the criticism by arguing that murders during Diwali are not unprecedented. Minister Raj Mohan said the opposition was creating the impression that such incidents had occurred for the first time in Tamil Nadu. He cited six murders during the previous Diwali and 11 during the festival the year before that, alleging that opposition parties were acting together to tarnish the government's image.The political exchange comes against the backdrop of law and order having emerged as a major issue in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections. The then ruling DMK government faced sustained criticism over murders, crimes against women, and the alleged spread of drugs. TVK chief Vijay had repeatedly raised these concerns during his campaign, making public safety and policing key themes in his attack on the DMK.Now in power, TVK faces similar questions from the opposition. Chief Minister Vijay has not publicly responded to the latest spate of killings. During the last Assembly session, however, he blamed the previous DMK regime for failing to curb drug abuse and said his government would bring crime under control.