How the plan to murder Armstrong was executed

Chennai police uncover intricate gang conspiracy behind brutal murder of BSP leader Armstrong in exclusive investigation report.

At the outset, the brutal murder of Tamil Nadu’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president K. Armstrong in July 2024 was presumed to be an act of revenge for the killing of ‘Arcot’ Suresh, an alleged gangster in north Chennai, in 2023. The months-long investigation by the Chennai City police, however, has exposed a web of conspiracy involving three major gangs in the city and their thirst for dominance. This story is Part 3 of a three-part series on the crime that shook the State, and is based on the 5,000-page charge sheet filed by the police in October 2024, exclusively accessed by R. Sivaraman. You can read Part 1 and 2 here and here

The conspirators made extensive, elaborate, and meticulous arrangements to transport and store the weapons used in the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader K. Armstrong, said the charge sheet filed by the Chennai City Police, exclusively accessed by The Hindu.

The country-made bombs prepared for the murder, and exchanged but were never used, made it to the premises of a prominent government hospital in the city and even the Madras High Court, escaping the scrutiny of security personnel. Accused No. 3 ‘Sambav’ Senthil’s associate Pudur Appu, 40, of Kodambakkam arranged for the bombs to be handed over to the eight suspects who allegedly committed the murder.

On June 12, Appu’s associates bought a black lunch bag from a shop and collected the bombs stored in a godown in Kodambakkam.

They transported it by a two-wheeler, and while doing so, made sure that sandal paste was rubbed on the vehicle’s licence plate so it could not be identified.

A conservancy staff drove the vehicle carrying the lunch bag with the bombs to the campus of the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital at the Omandurar Government Estate. Another accused gave instructions to the staff over phone about which gate he could enter without being checked by the security staff. At the parking lot, Senthil’s associates, advocates K. Hariharan and ‘Mottai’ Krishnan, collected the lunch bag.

They then went to the Dr. Ambedkar Statue on the Madras High Court campus. Hariharan sent a text message to G. Arul, slain gangster ‘Arcot’ Suresh’s relative, saying: “Come to High Court at three o’ clock and get your case bundle.”