The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) on Saturday arrested a former AIADMK functionary in connection with the murder of BSP leader K. Armstrong, who was hacked to death by a gang in Perambur on July 5.
The Sembium police registered a case following a complaint from Armstrong’s brother Veeramani and launched an investigation. Following this, the police arrested 11 suspects, including Ponnai Balu, the brother of ‘Arcot’ Suresh. Suresh was a history-sheeter who had been murdered by a gang in Pattinambakkam last year. It was said Balu and the others murdered Armstrong to avenge Suresh’s death. The police said a special team had already arrested 14 suspects in connection with the case.
Following further investigation, a special team on Saturday arrested G. Haritharan, 37, of Kadambathur in Tiruvallur. Interrogation revealed that he was an AIADMK functionary and councillor of the Kadambathur Panchayat Union, and also a close associate of Arul, another suspect and a lawyer of the DMK, who was among the first set of suspects arrested by the police.
According to the police, Arul had handed over six mobile phones the suspects had used to Haritharan and instructed him to destroy them without anyone’s knowledge. Following this, Haritharan threw them into the stretch of the Kosasthalaiyar near Vengathur village in Tiruvallur district.
G. Haritharan | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The police retrieved three mobile phones from the river with the help of Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services divers. The search is in progress to find the other mobile phones. Meanwhile, Haritharan was expelled from the AIADMK.
