NIA conducts searches at 20 places in connection with Ramalingam murder case

Ramalingam was killed for opposing religious conversion in Tribhuvanam of Thanjavur.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out searches at 20 locations at Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Trichy and Karaikal in Tamil Nadu in connection with investigation of murder of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) member Ramalingam.

The PMK member was killed for opposing religious conversion in Tribhuvanam of Thanjavur.

The NIA had taken over this case on March 14 and has arrested 10 people so far in connection with this case. The accused persons are active members/office bearers of PFI. The NIA conducted searches in the houses of the arrested accused, absconding accused persons and four offices of PFI. 

During searches, the NIA has seized a number of digital devices including 16 mobile phones, 21 SIM cards, 3 Laptops, 9 Hard Discs, 7 Memory cards, 118 CDs/DVDs, 1 Tab, 7 Diaries,, 2 PFI Banners and 1 DVR. Besides 1 sword, 1 sharp edged knife and Rs 2 lakh in cash were also recovered from three different houses during Thursday's searches.

Ramalingam, 41, was allegedly hacked to death on February 5 while he was returning home in his mini van. Ramalingam was attacked after he questioned some people about religious conversion in Thanjavur. The assailants followed Ramalingam's mini van in a car and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons causing fatal injuries on both his hands. The officials investigating the case had later seized a car which was allegedly used by the assailants.