Chennai Police Confiscate 30 Machetes Linked to BSP Leader Armstrong's Murder Suspect
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Chennai, Jan 8 (NationPress) The Greater Chennai Police has confiscated a total of 30 machetes from the home of gangster P. Nagendran, currently serving a life sentence at Vellore Central Prison.
Nagendran is identified as the primary suspect in the murder of K. Armstrong, who led the BSP Tamil Nadu unit. Nagendran's son, Ashwathaman, is the third suspect in this case.
According to police sources, a raid was executed at Nagendran’s residence on Wednesday, resulting in the seizure of several lethal weapons, including the machetes.
This latest seizure brings the total number of machetes recovered during the investigation of Armstrong’s murder to 51.
K. Armstrong was brutally murdered on July 5, 2024, near his under-construction home in Perambur.
A gang of eight individuals, led by Ponnai Balu, the brother of slain gangster Arcot Suresh, claimed responsibility for the murder and surrendered to the police the same evening.
Balu admitted that the murder was enacted in retaliation for the death of his brother, which he claimed was orchestrated by Armstrong.
However, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Chennai City Police Commissioner M. Arun uncovered that three distinct gangs had collaborated to execute the murder. Ultimately, Armstrong was killed by Balu and his accomplices.
Further inquiries revealed that P. Nagendran, who has been incarcerated for 26 years, alongside another gangster, Sambhav Senthil, had plotted and financed the murder.
Authorities stated that Nagendran harbored a personal vendetta against Armstrong, blaming him for hindering the political aspirations of his son, Ashwathaman, a lawyer and former official of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress.
Ashwathaman, the third suspect, has since been expelled from the Congress party.
Sambhav Senthil is alleged to have had disputes with Armstrong over real estate transactions.
A total of 28 individuals have been arrested in relation to the case, while Sambhav Senthil and two of his close associates, Krishna Kumar and Appu, remain fugitives.
Senthil, categorized as an ‘A+ history-sheeter’ at the Washermenpet police station for involvement in multiple murder cases, has been on the run since the incident.
The case has also implicated members from several political factions, including AIADMK, Tamil Maanila Congress, BJP, and Congress. The police have filed a detailed 5,000-page charge sheet with the magistrate court.
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