Sivaganga murder: MK Stalin questions police lapses in monitoring accused on bail

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Monday, October 19, came down heavily on the state police over the murder of history-sheeter Madan in Sivaganga district, alleging that the killing exposed lapses in monitoring accused persons released on bail.

Madan, alias Sullan Madan (26), was hacked to death by an armed gang at a local manjuvirattu (bull chasing) event near Okkur in Sivaganga district on Sunday, October 19. He was standing near a local school with a friend when a gang arrived on motorcycles, armed with sickles and other weapons, and surrounded him. Madan and his companion fled towards a nearby sugarcane field. The assailants chased them and brutally attacked Madan. He died at the spot.

In a social media post, Stalin alleged that the murder was a result of police negligence and questioned the government's monitoring of accused persons released on bail. “The Chief Minister holds responsibility for the department only in name. Has he outsourced the police department, just as he has distributed the responsibilities of his control over several departments to other ministers?” Stalin asked.

Referring to a recent murder in Dindigul district, Stalin said that a man had been killed in front of his wife after signing his bail register at a police station. He said he had already questioned whether those released on bail were being monitored by the police. “The murder that took place in Sivaganga shows that nothing substantial is being done,” he said.

Madan had 14 criminal cases pending against him, including murder and attempted murder cases and had survived two murder attempts against him. He had been arrested in connection with the June 2024 murder of two brothers, Jayasurya (24) and Subash (23) from Natchikulam in Madurai district, and was released on bail on October 7.

Madan's dispute with the duo reportedly began when the two brothers took their bull to a manjuvirattu event where Madan and his associates allegedly caught the animal, triggering an argument that escalated into a fight between the two groups.

On June 30, 2024, Jayasurya and Subash were allegedly attacked and hacked to death while they were asleep at Kallanai near Kollangudi. On July 4, 2024, Madan and three associates surrendered before a magistrate, and all three were detained under the Goondas Act.

The recent killing is suspected to be a retaliation to the 2024 double murder. Madan's body was sent to the Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The Sivaganga Town police have registered a case and formed six special teams to trace the assailants. The police have now arrested Pradeep (26) from Tirumangalam, Balamurugan (19) from Manamadurai and Babu (23) from Vilakkulam and remanded them in judicial custody.