Chennai, Dec 31 (IANS) The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Workers’ Rights Retrieval Kazhagam on Wednesday strongly condemned the “brutal attack” on a migrant worker from Odisha in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruttani, blaming the DMK government for what it described as the growing menace of drugs and lawlessness in the state.

In a statement, AIADMK founder and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said the shocking incident, in which a group of teenage boys allegedly assaulted a man with sickles, had shaken the conscience of the public.

He said the attack “exposed” the alarming extent to which drug abuse had penetrated society, particularly among the youth.

“The fact that four minors could commit such a heinous crime under the influence of narcotic substances shows how Tamil Nadu has increasingly become a haven for drugs,” Panneerselvam said.

He accused the DMK government of failing to curb the spread of narcotics and warned that the situation posed a serious threat to public safety and social order.

Calling the incident “deeply disturbing,” he urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to treat the issue with utmost seriousness and initiate urgent corrective measures.

“The government must focus on protecting young people from falling prey to drugs and ensure strict action against those involved in narcotics trafficking,” he said, adding that awareness programmes and strict enforcement were essential to prevent further such incidents.

The incident occurred on the evening of December 26 near the railway quarters close to the Tiruttani railway station in Tiruvallur district.

According to police, four 17-year-old boys allegedly attacked a man from Odisha with sickles.

The assailants reportedly recorded the assault on their mobile phones and later uploaded the video on social media, triggering widespread outrage.

Alerted by locals, the police rushed to the spot and rescued the injured man, who was later shifted to a hospital for treatment.

The victim, a migrant worker, had reportedly sustained serious injuries in the attack. The police subsequently arrested the four minors involved in the incident and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crime, including the possible role of narcotics. Authorities have assured strict action in accordance with the law.

–IANS

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