Behind BSP leader’s murder, a coalition of plotters and rivals with political links

While the initial police finding was that the murder was rooted in the killing of a gangster last year, the probe has slowly revealed that Armstrong’s murder was not the result of a single vendetta, but a confluence of motives from various gangs, each with its own reasons to see him eliminated.

Bahujan Samaj Party supporters gather outside the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in protest after Tamil Nadu BSP President K Armstrong was hacked to death by a six-member gang in Chennai. (PTI/File)

A senior investigator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Armstrong had many enemies. “At least half a dozen of Armstrong’s adversaries seem to have come together to eliminate him. Some provided money, some manpower, and some intelligence. They contributed at different stages, but their goal was to eliminate him,” the officer said.

One of the latest breakthroughs in the case came on Monday with the arrest of Porkodi, 40, the wife of ‘Arcot’ Suresh, a gangster who was murdered last year. She is accused of providing financial assistance to the suspects, including Suresh’s brother Ponnai Baalu, who allegedly participated in Armstrong’s murder and surrendered with seven others.

The police’s initial theory — that the murder was an act of revenge for Suresh’s killing — was bolstered by evidence of money transfers from Porkodi to Baalu shortly before the crime.

Within a week of the killing on July 5, investigators uncovered the involvement of another gang. Three persons were arrested — S Malarkodi, 52, of Triplicane; K Sathish, 33, of Thirunindravur; and K Hariharan, 27, of Old Washermenpet. Malarkodi, the widow of ‘Thottam’ Sekar, a gangster killed over two decades ago, had been under scrutiny for her role in the murder of another gangster in 2021. Investigators who spoke to The Indian Express said her alleged involvement in Armstrong’s murder came to light through evidence of significant financial transactions made to one of the main accused just days before Armstrong’s murder.

Malarkodi and Hariharan, an advocate arrested at Delhi airport, were AIADMK office-bearers who have since been removed from the party. Malarkodi was previously arrested for allegedly hurling countrymade bombs at a rival gang many years ago. According to investigators, Hariharan and Malarkodi allegedly prepared bombs for the assailants before Armstrong’s murder as a backup in case the original murder plan failed. They also discovered a transaction of about Rs 6 lakh from Sambo Senthil, another key suspect who fled India and is believed to be hiding in Nepal.

The investigation did not stop there. Police went on to arrest D Selvaraj, 49, a BJP functionary from Thiruninravur; and M Anjalai, 48, a district office-bearer of the BJP in North Chennai. Both people, who have been expelled from the party, are accused of providing financial support to the assailants. Anjalai, also a history-sheeter known for alleged association with murdered gangster ‘Arcot’ Suresh, is accused of making payments to one of the accused and offering shelter to some of the assailants before Armstrong’s murder, the police said.

“Armstrong was involved in mainstream politics, but his past left him with many enemies,” said an officer.

The probe deepened with the discovery of another enmity Armstrong had with N Aswathaman, a Tamil Nadu Youth Congress office-bearer, and his father, Nagendran, a convict in the murder of former AIADMK MLA Stanley Shanmugam in 1997. Aswathaman has been arrested and expelled from the Congress.

According to investigators, Aswathaman allegedly had a conflict with Armstrong over a land deal in Tiruvallur, a region north of Chennai with a growing demand for land for industrial and residential projects. Officers said Armstrong had allegedly threatened Aswathaman “with his pistol” during negotiations and forced him to withdraw from the deal. Later, when Nagendran was released on parole, he attempted to mediate. “He called Armstrong over the phone to settle the issue as he wanted his son to have smooth sailing in the land business. But Armstrong had allegedly insulted Nagendran,” an officer said.

Even the aftermath of the case has not been without drama. Among the assailants, K Thiruvengadam, 33, was charged for allegedly inflicting the most severe injuries on Armstrong. He was killed by the police a week after the murder, when he allegedly tried to open fire on officials while in custody.

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