(Left) Late BSP leader K Armstrong (Right) N Aswathaman
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Police have arrested N. Aswathaman, the State General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress, in connection with the brutal murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader K. Armstrong. The arrest was made by the Sembium Police on August 7, 2024, a month after Armstrong was killed near his residence in Perambur.
K Armstrong, a 53-year-old Dalit leader and advocate, was attacked on July 5, 2024, by a six-member gang outside his under-construction house in Perambur. The murder has sent shockwaves across the political spectrum, leading to the arrest of 22 individuals, including members of various political parties such as the DMK, Congress, and AIADMK. One of the accused, Thirugengadam, was killed in an encounter with police near Maduravayal on July 14 after he allegedly attempted to attack officers and escape custody.
Aswathaman, who is also an advocate, is the son of Nagendran, a notorious history-sheeter from North Chennai who is currently serving a sentence in Vellore jail for a 1997 murder in Vyasarpadi. According to police reports, Nagendran, from his prison cell, allegedly orchestrated Armstrong’s murder to settle a personal score. Aswathaman had met Armstrong to discuss a land dispute near Sholavaram, during which Nagendran reportedly threatened Armstrong over the phone, warning him to steer clear of his son’s activities and to resolve a kidnapping issue amicably. The conversation escalated into a verbal altercation, which police believe may have led to the subsequent murder plot.
The investigation has also uncovered a possible rivalry between Armstrong and another criminal from North Chennai, currently incarcerated. This angle is being thoroughly explored by the police as a potential motive for Armstrong’s murder. Armstrong was known for his involvement in illegal activities, including extortion, conducting kangaroo courts, and kidnapping for ransom. He was previously arrested for kidnapping Jayaprakash, a Congress secretary from Thiruvallur district, and extorting a ransom.
Following Aswathaman’s arrest, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee swiftly expelled him from the party’s primary membership with immediate effect. Aswathaman also held the position of President of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Indian National Congress.
Aswathaman, an advocate by profession, is the son of Nagendran, a known rowdy and history-sheeter currently imprisoned in the Vellore Central prison. His arrest was facilitated by a special police team based on information provided by other suspects already apprehended in the Armstrong murder case.
Meanwhile, BSP state unit has announced that it would hold a protest today (August 9) to arrest the real culprits without wasting time in the Armstrong’s murder case.
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In this case, advocate Arul (DMK), his associated Sathish (DMK) – his father is DMK functionary in literary wing-, Advocate Hariharan (TMC) history sheeter Anjalai (BJP), Selvaraj (BJP) Malarikodi and Hariharan (AIADMK), Aswathaman ( Cong) have been arrested so far. This unfolds that functionaries of almost all political parties were part of the larger conspiracy to eliminate Armstrong and killed him.
Following the murder, the police quickly apprehended eight suspects, including the brother of the late rowdy Arcot V Suresh, within hours of the incident. Initially, it was believed that Armstrong’s murder was a retaliatory act for the killing of Arcot Suresh last year.
The investigation has since widened, leading to the arrest of 22 individuals, including members affiliated with various political parties such as the BJP, DMK, AIADMK, and Tamil Manila Congress. The involvement of political figures from multiple parties has added a complex dimension to the case.
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