Chennai, March 18 : Two accused in the brutal murder of a retired police officer in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli surrendered before a court on Tuesday.

The suspects, identified as Karthik and Akbar, both residents of Tirunelveli, turned themselves in before Judicial Magistrate IV over their alleged involvement in the killing of Zakhir Hussein Bijli, 64, a former Sub-Inspector of the Tamil Nadu Police.

Bijli was attacked while returning home on his motorcycle after offering morning prayers. A four-member armed gang intercepted him near Kaatchi Mandapam in Tirunelveli town and brutally hacked him to death on the spot using sharp-edged weapons.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that Bijli was an administrator of the Murtim Zarkhan Dargah in Tirunelveli and was engaged in a legal dispute over a 36-cent land parcel in the town. Sources indicate that the dispute was connected to a plot of land adjacent to Bijli's property, allegedly owned by the wife of one of the accused, Toufiq. Bijli had claimed that the land belonged to the Waqf Board and had reportedly encroached upon it by constructing a shed. However, Toufiq's family argued that the land was a private gift from his mother-in-law. The conflict had escalated over time, and police records show that Bijli had been named in a legal case filed by Toufiq's family in January 2025.

Authorities are now investigating whether this prolonged dispute directly led to his murder.

The murder has sparked intense political reactions.

Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) General Secretary S. Ahmed Navavi stated that Bijli was leading a legal battle to reclaim 36 cents of land allegedly encroached upon by private individuals.

"Bijli had raised concerns about threats to his life in a social media post in February, yet the police failed to provide him with adequate protection. Their negligence has now resulted in his brutal killing," he said. He urged the authorities to take such complaints seriously to prevent future crimes and demanded the immediate arrest of all those involved in Bijli's murder.

The incident has also drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose state chief K. Annamalai called the murder 'deeply shocking' and blamed the DMK government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

"Law and order in Tamil Nadu has collapsed to the point where even a retired police officer was threatened and murdered. The police ignore complaints from ordinary citizens while focusing on suppressing critics of the DMK government. How many more lives will be lost due to this administration's incompetence?" Annamalai posted on X.

BJP State Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy also condemned the DMK government, stating that "despite Bijli's repeated complaints of threats to his life, the police failed to act". "The Chief Minister must take responsibility and allow the police to function independently to curb crime and lawlessness. If this continues, Tamil Nadu will become a haven for criminals."

BJP MLA and Mahila Morcha National President Vanathi Srinivasan echoed similar concerns.

Meanwhile, the police have intensified their investigation to track down the remaining suspects involved in the murder. Officials are also examining Bijli's past complaints and security concerns to determine whether negligence by authorities played a role in his death.

/IANS