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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at various locations in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli on Thursday in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Ramalingam murder case.
Ramalingam, who had opposed the Dawah work of leaders of the Popular Front of India (PFI) allegedly involved in converting Hindus into Islam, was murdered in 2019. Earlier in July last year, NIA raided 21 locations, including the residences of five absconding proclaimed offenders (POs) and suspects in Tamil Nadu. In August 2019, the NIA filed a chargesheet against 18 individuals, including the five absconding accused persons, before the NIA Special Court, Chennai. The NIA Special Court, Chennai, had declared these five absconding accused persons as proclaimed offenders. Ramalingam was allegedly murdered on February 5, 2019, in Paku Vinayakam Thoppu, Thanjavur, by members and office bearers of the PFI. Ramalingam, who had opposed the Dawah work of leaders of the Popular Front of India (PFI) allegedly involved in converting Hindus to Islam. NIA had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakhs each to anyone providing information leading to the arrest of any of the five absconders. The prosecution of others already arrested in the case is currently underway. Earlier, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against 18 accused persons, including the five absconding accused persons, on August 2, 2019, before the NIA Special Court, Chennai. The NIA Special Court, Chennai, had declared these five absconding accused persons as Proclaimed Offenders. Raids in the districts of Thanjavur, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tirupur, Villupuram, Trichy, Pudukottai, Coimbatore and Mayiladuthurai, led to the seizure of several digital devices (mobile phones, SIM cards and memory cards) and documents, the NIA stated. Ramalingam was brutally murdered on February 5, 2019, in Paku Vinayakam Thoppu, Thanjavur allegedly by members and office bearers of the PFI, which had conspired the assassination. The NIA said that the accused persons had avenged Ramalingam by killing him in an extremely violent jihadi manner as he objected to the forcible conversion of underprivileged persons by Dawah Team / Proselytization team dispatched from Arivagam, Theni. According to NIA investigations, the violence was instigated to instil fear among the opponents of the outfit, declared as an 'unlawful association' under UAPA by the Government of India on 28th September 2022, and to drive a wedge between the communities by inciting communal hatred and violence. (ANI)
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