In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two key absconders in the 2019 Ramalingam murder case, which is linked to the banned organization Popular Front of India (PFI). The accused, Abdul Majeeth and Shahul Hameed, hail from the Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu and were apprehended on Saturday.
The duo had allegedly conspired with others to attack Ramalingam near the Periyapalli mosque in Thirubhuvanam on 5th February 2019. The gruesome act of chopping his hands was aimed at instilling fear among people and spreading communal hatred. NIA investigations have confirmed their active involvement in the murder and their association with the PFI.
The case, which initially began under the Tamil Nadu police, was handed over to the NIA in March 2019. Subsequently, 18 individuals were chargesheeted before the NIA Special Court in Chennai in August 2019. Six of these accused had been on the run, prompting the NIA to announce a reward of ₹5 lakh each for information leading to their arrest. The absconders were also declared Proclaimed Offenders by the court. One of the absconders, Rahman Sadiq, was arrested in 2021.
In July 2023, the NIA conducted searches at 21 locations, including the residences of five absconding proclaimed offenders and suspects in Tamil Nadu. The police arrested Mohammed Ryaz, Nizam Ali, Sarbuddin, Mohammed Rizwan, and Azaruddin, and later, the NIA arrested 13 more persons in connection with this case. In January 2024, the NIA conducted raids at 25 more locations in Tamil Nadu.
In November 2024, the NIA tracked Abdul Majeeth and Shahul Hameed to Poombarai in the Kodaikanal area of Dindigul district. During the operation, the agency also arrested Mohammed Ali Jinah, who had allegedly harbored the accused. Jinah was later remanded to judicial custody.
Despite escaping capture in 2024, Abdul and Shahul were finally arrested by the NIA on Saturday.
The case:
On February 5, 2019, Ramalingam, a PMK functionary and staunch Hindu, was murdered in Tamil Nadu. His death was reportedly in retaliation for his active opposition to the Islamic conversion of Dalits and other Hindus to Islam by Islamic fundamentalists in the Thanjavur region. On the day of his murder, a video surfaced showing Ramalingam engaging in a heated discussion with individuals involved in religious conversion activities in Thirubhuvanam. During the exchange, he donned a Muslim skull cap and applied vibhuti (sacred ash) on one of the individuals, questioning their refusal to accept Hindu symbols while promoting Islamic conversions. Later that evening, while returning home with his son, Ramalingam was attacked and killed by a group of assailants.
The arrest on Saturday marks a significant step in ensuring justice for Ramalingam and deterring acts of communal violence.
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