Retired police sub-inspector murdered by gang in Tirunelveli

Former police officer hacked to death in Tirunelveli, suspects linked to land dispute surrender to authorities.

A retired Sub-Inspector of Police who was a member of the Special Protection Group of late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was hacked to death in Tirunelveli on Tuesday (March 18, 2025).

Police said Zakhir Hussein Bijli, 64, of Tirunelveli town, who opted for voluntary retirement from Tamil Nadu police after serving as Sub-Inspector of Police, was returning home on his bike on Tuesday after offering morning prayers. While he was crossing kaatchi mandapam in Tirunelveli town, a four-member armed gang intercepted and hacked him to death on the spot.

During investigation, Tirunelveli Town police found that Bijli, who was one of the administrators of Murtim Zarkhan Dargha in Tirunelveli Town, was waging legal battle in the court pertaining to a 36-cent land parcel under dispute in Tirunelveli town. Hence, the police suspect that the opponents might have targeted Zakhir Hussein.

Meanwhile, one Karthik and Akbar, both hailing from Tirunelveli, surrendered before Judicial Magistrate 4 here around noon in connection with the murder of the former police officer.

In a statement, Social Democratic Party of India’s general secretary S. Ahmed Navavi said Zakhir Hussein Bijli, who was a member of a special protection group of late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, was spearheading the legal battle to retrieve “illegally-occupied” 36 cents of land belonging to Wakf Board in Tirunelveli Town. Bijili, in a social media post in February, had explained about the threat he was facing from those who were illegally occupying the land belonging to Murtin Jehan Dargha.

“However, the police did not give him due protection which has led to the brutal killing of Zakhir Hussein. Since the police ignore murder threat complaints from the public, it often leads to murders. Hence, the law-enforcers should treat complaints of this nature very seriously and save the life of the complainants. In this case, the police should arrest all the culprits involved in the murder of Zakhir Hussein,” Mr. Ahmed Navavi said.

Condemning the murder, Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, in a social media post on X, said law and order in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated to the point where a retired police officer has been threatened and murdered. The police do not listen to the complaints of the common people. The police are used only to take action against those who criticise the DMK government, he added.