Chennai, Aug 20 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out searches at five locations in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district in connection with the 2019 murder of Ramalingam, a former Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) functionary.

Ramalingam, a native of Papanasam in Thanjavur district, was killed on February 5, 2019, after he opposed alleged religious conversion activities involving members of Islamic organisations such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Thiruvidaimarudur.

Following the murder, the case was handed over to the NIA, which has since arrested 12 individuals linked to the incident.

According to initial reports, the latest searches are being conducted at five places across Dindigul district, including Begampur, Ottanchatram, Nilakottai, Dindigul town, and Kodaikanal.

Security has been tightened in the areas as a precautionary measure.

In Begampur, the NIA officials began searches around 6 a.m. at the residence of Sheikh Abdullah, an SDPI member residing in Jinna Nagar. Three NIA officers carried out the operation, supported by local police personnel to ensure security during the raid.

Similarly, another team of investigators carried out searches at the house of a man identified as Yusuf in Ottanchatram from early morning.

Sources said this round of searches comes months after raids were conducted in Kodaikanal, and investigators are following leads suggesting continued links of some individuals to extremist organisations.

The operation, spread across multiple sensitive locations, has created tension in the region, with residents gathering outside the search sites to monitor developments.

The NIA is investigating whether the arrested individuals had broader networks extending beyond Thanjavur and whether support systems for radical activities were still operational in parts of southern Tamil Nadu.

Officials have not released further details on whether new arrests have been made in the latest raids.

The 2019 murder of Ramalingam had triggered widespread political outrage in Tamil Nadu, with several parties condemning the killing as an attempt to silence dissent against forced conversions.

The ongoing NIA action indicates that the agency is still pursuing the case with a focus on dismantling any organisational structures that might have facilitated the crime.

–IANS

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