BJP has 'no genuine concern' over Karur stampede, seeks 'political gain': TN CM
Ramanathapuram (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday accused the BJP and the government led by it at the Centre, of "showing no genuine concern" over the tragic stampede in Karur, and said the saffron party wanted to "capitalise" on the incident in view of next year's Assembly election.
He sought to know why a delegation of NDA MPs was sent to Karur so urgently to look into the cause of the stampede. Teams were not sent to inquire about the Manipur riots, Morbi bridge accident in Gujarat, and the Kumbha Mela stampede in Uttar Pradesh, he said.
"Of course, there's no interest or concern. It is a petty act of seeking political gain in view of the 2026 Assembly election," Stalin said at a government event here.
He alleged that the BJP, "which is used to riding on the back of others, is a parasite that survives on the blood of others." "It is using the Karur stampede to find out who it can bring under its control. Irrespective of the masks that are worn, how many slaves that are conscripted, or who is enlisted afresh, as I said earlier, Tamil Nadu is out of control for you," Stalin, who is president of the DMK, said.
He termed the BJP as a "washing machine" for those seeking to escape accountability for wrongdoings and hit out at the AIADMK for allegedly betraying the state's interest by forging electoral ties with the BJP.
When Tamil Nadu was struck by three major natural disasters, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman neither visited nor provided any funds to the state. "But she now immediately rushes to Karur," he said.
The September 27 stampede at a rally addressed by Vijay, who heads the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam, left 41 dead.
Also, the Chief Minister alleged that RSS made an attempt on the life of former Chief Minister Kamaraj, and asserted that it was his duty to protect the people from such forces. "The mission will continue under the Dravidian model 2.0."
He accused the Centre of "failing" to prevent the frequent attacks on the Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan coast guard.
Retrieving the Katchatheevu islet ceded to Lanka alone would ensure a lasting solution to the fishermen issue, he said, and recalled the state Assembly resolution in this regard.
The CM inaugurated development projects worth Rs 738 crore in the district, including Thangachimadam government higher secondary school building, and hostel for college students in Paramakudi.
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J-K: Six held with drugs, assets worth Rs 73 lakh attached in Udhampur
Jammu (PTI): Six persons were taken into custody during an intensified anti-narcotics crackdown, with police recovering contraband substances and over Rs 23 lakh in Doda and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Monday.
In a parallel action, properties worth over Rs 73 lakh linked to drug peddlers were also attached in Udhampur district under relevant legal provisions, the police said.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Doda, Mohd Aslam said three persons, including a woman, were detained during a raid on a house at Dak Mohalla in the main town following recovery of 85 grams of suspected brown sugar and over Rs 23 lakh on Sunday evening.
He identified the woman as Zareena Begum, stating that she had been under police surveillance following inputs indicating her involvement in drug peddling.
Besides Zareena, officials said her daughter and son-in-law were also picked up by police during the raid.
“We have taken three individuals into custody. Their roles are being examined, and based on that, arrests will be made. We are continuing raids at other suspected locations,” Aslam said.
Three drug peddlers --Pardeep Singh of Hiranagar, Rahees Butt of Billawar and Ali Sen of Amritsar (Punjab) -- were arrested along with heroin at different places in Kathua district, a police spokesman said.
He said while 2.79 gm of heroin was seized from Singh, 2.66 gm were recovered Butt. Similarly, 303 gm of heroin was seized from Sen who was intercepted near Berrian-Pattan village while moving in a private car from Bhagthali to Maggar Khad on the Jammu-Pathankot highway.
All the three were booked under the NDPS Act and further investigations are on, the spokesman said.
In Udhampur, the spokesman said properties worth Rs 73 lakh were attached in two separate cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The attached properties included a newly constructed residential house, a car, a motorcycle and a mobile phone with a total value of Rs 65 Lakh, belonging to accused Saif Ali who was booked under the NDPS case in Majalta area early this year, he said.
In another action, movable property worth Rs 8 lakh comprising a car, belonging to accused Danish Butt of Doda has been attached under Section 68(F) NDPS Act in connection with an FIR registered at Rehambal police station, the spokesman said.
