Women leading protests demanding closure of a Tasmac outlet in the wake of an murder at R. Poosaripatty in Krishnagiri on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.
The murder of a man, during a drunken brawl, by the owner of an ‘unlicensed outlet’ affiliated to Tasmac sparked protests at R. Poosaripatty in Krishnagiri, on Saturday (September 19, 2026), demanding the immediate closure of the outlet. The protests followed the murder, which was recorded on a CCTV camera installed on the street.
The deceased was identified as Arunkumar (33) of Nanjanadu in the Nilgiris, who was employed at a private agriculture firm in Krishnagiri. According to the police, On Friday (September 18, 2026), Arunkumar along with his friends is said to have been consuming alcohol outside a Tasmac outlet in R. Poosaripatty. According to the local sources, the outlet was closed by 9.15 p.m.
Arunkumar and his friends reportedly went to a nearby ‘unlicensed bar’, whose owner Karthik and his father Govindaraj were authorised to collect the empty liquor bottles that came with a refund of ₹10. According to sources, when Arunkumar allegedly questioned the closure of the outlet before time, Karthik and Govindaraj reportedly got into an altercation with him.
According to the FIR, Arunkumar was escorted by his friends after the confrontation. However, they had only walked 50 m away, when Karthik went behind them and attacked Arunkumar with a stone. Arunkumar fell down, but Karthik attacked him twice with the stone. He was rushed to a private hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The police registered a case under Sections 296(b), 115(2), 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A resident said that over 25 petitions have been submitted to authorities demanding the closure of the Tasmac outlet. “There have been deaths due to accidents caused by driving under the influence of alcohol, and two murders, including the current incident,” said a source.
As part of the protests, women locked the Tasmac outlet and demanded the officials to come up with a solution. Krishnagiri Tahsildar Rajalakshmi and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramachandiran held talks with the protesters. They assured the protesters that the outlet will be shifted to another location within three months.
Published – September 19, 2026 08:34 pm IST
