Joint Action Against Custodial Torture – Tamil Nadu (JAACT) , in a statement issued here on Monday, said it was aware of the sensitivity involved in the investigation of the murder of Armstrong, former State leader of Bahujan Samaj Party, but police resorting to extra-judicial measures, including shooting down people, would not bring the perpetrators to justice.
Henri Tiphagne of executive director of People’s Watch said, “I want rowdyism to be controlled; there is no second opinion about that. This is a very sad state of affairs. I want the people who break the law to be handled, but within the parameters of the law.”
I. Aseer, State coordinator of the Joint Action against Custodial Torture, said “As per our calculation, from 1998 onwards, approximately 100 encounters were reported in the state. Wish to know whether the crime rate has decreased because of this.”