The tragic stabbing of a 17-year-old boy in the Seelampur area of northeast Delhi has ignited a heated exchange between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday, April 18. Both parties are pointing fingers at each other regarding the city’s declining law and order situation. The incident occurred on Thursday, April 17, in the J-Block locality of New Seelampur.

Atishi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly and a senior AAP leader, accused the BJP-led Central Government and the Delhi Police of failing to protect citizens. “The murder of this 17-year-old in Seelampur highlights the worsening law and order in Delhi,” she stated in a post on X.

She questioned, “What is the Delhi Police doing? What is Home Minister Amit Shah’s response? What is the double-engine government up to?” referencing the BJP leadership in both the central government and the local police force. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta promised that the victim’s family would receive justice.

“I have spoken with the Commissioner of Police, and all efforts are being made. I hope the perpetrators will be caught soon, and we will ensure justice for the victim’s family,” she remarked.

In response to the Opposition’s criticism, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, representing North East Delhi, condemned the incident and stated that law enforcement is treating the matter with utmost seriousness.

“The murder of Kunal, a 17-year-old Dalit youth in Seelampur, is deeply concerning, and the residents’ anger is understandable,” he posted on X. “I’ve been in touch with senior police officials since last night. Many suspects have been identified, and a thorough investigation is currently underway,” he added.

While reassuring the public that the assailants will be apprehended and face severe repercussions, Tiwari also called for calm, urging that police operations not be obstructed.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a government event in Ponneri, Tiruvallur district, invoking Modi’s own words as Gujarat’s Chief Minister to counter recent remarks about Tamil Nadu’s demands for funds.

Addressing a gathering, Stalin refuted Modi’s claim from a Rameswaram visit that Tamil Nadu leaders were “crying” for central funds regardless of allocations.

“With utmost respect, I remind the Prime Minister of his own stance as Gujarat CM, when he said states aren’t beggars pleading for Union handouts,” Stalin said.

He recalled Modi’s criticism of the Centre’s partisan fund allocations and accusations of Governors running “parallel governments” in opposition-ruled states. “When Tamil Nadu seeks its rightful share, how is it ‘crying’? I’m asserting our state’s rights, not groveling. I learned this from our leader Kalaignar [Karunanidhi],” Stalin asserted.

Minister S.M. Nasar, MPs S. Jagathrakshakan and Sasikanth Senthil, legislators T.J. Govindarajan, Durai Chandrasekar, S. Chandran, V.G. Raajendran, A. Krishnaswamy, K. Ganapathy, S. Sudharsanam, Collector M. Prathap, and senior officials attended the event.

Stalin also challenged Shah’s recent Chennai statement that Tamil Nadu’s demands were “diversionary tactics.” He posed pointed questions to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, “Can you exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET? Guarantee no Hindi imposition? Ensure our representation isn’t reduced post-delimitation? Specify the funds allocated to our state?”

Stalin emphasised that Tamil Nadu’s fight is for all states’ rights, citing the DMK’s landmark Supreme Court victory against Governor R.N. Ravi’s delay in approving Bills. “This historic ruling shows we act when the Centre fails,” he said.

Highlighting national awareness of Tamil Nadu’s struggle, Stalin dismissed Shah’s accusations of diversion, urging, “If our demands are distractions, why haven’t you addressed them clearly?” He underscored the state’s resolve to protect its interests, rooted in principles of federalism and justice championed by DMK’s legacy.

During the event, Stalin inaugurated over 6,700 completed projects worth ₹1,166 crore in Tiruvallur, laid foundations for 7,300 new initiatives, and distributed welfare benefits to 2.02 lakh residents.

In a significant development in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, 22 Maoists, including nine women, laid down arms before security forces, expressing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology and its violent impact on tribal communities.

Among the surrendered, 12 were carrying a combined bounty of Rs 40.5 lakh. The surrender took place in the presence of senior officials from the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan confirmed the development, highlighting the role of various government schemes and the updated rehabilitation policy in encouraging the cadres to give up arms.

Key Maoist figures among those surrendered

Those who surrendered include Muchaki Joga (33), deputy commander in the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) company no. 1 under the Maad division, and his wife Muchaki Jogi (28), a member of the same squad. Both carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh each.

Other notable names are Kikid Deve (30) and Manoj alias Dudhi Budhra (28), area committee members of the Maoists, each carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh. Additionally, seven individuals carried a bounty of Rs 2 lakh each, while one was wanted with a reward of Rs 50,000.

According to officials, many of these Maoists were involved in several violent attacks against security personnel in the region.

Development schemes helped influence decision

Police officials said the surrender was influenced by the Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Niyad Nellanar’ (Your Good Village) scheme, which focuses on development in remote areas, as well as the newly introduced surrender and rehabilitation policy aimed at providing assistance to former Maoists.

All the surrendered individuals received an initial assistance of Rs 50,000 and will be rehabilitated under the government’s policy. Their surrender was made possible through coordinated efforts of the district police, District Reserve Guard (DRG), CRPF, and its elite CoBRA unit.

Growing trend of surrenders

The recent surrender is part of a larger trend. As per police records, 792 Maoists surrendered across the Bastar region, including Sukma, last year alone. This reflects a growing impact of state-led initiatives to counter insurgency through development and reintegration.