Chennai- Police seized 30 machetes from the residence of P. Nagendran, a gangster serving a life sentence in Vellore prison. The raid, conducted on Wednesday, brings the total number of machetes recovered during the investigation to 51.

Nagendran, is the prime accused in the murder of BSP Tamil Nadu unit president K. Armstrong. His son, Ashwathaman, is also implicated in the murder as the third accused.

The machetes were discovered during a search of Nagendran's residence. Police sources revealed that the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into the July 5, 2024, murder of Armstrong, who was brutally hacked to death near his under-construction house in Perambur.

Further investigations implicated Nagendran and another gangster, Sambhav Senthil, as financiers and conspirators in the murder. Police allege that Nagendran held a personal grudge against Armstrong, accusing him of hindering his son's political career. Ashwathaman, a lawyer and former office-bearer of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress, has since been dismissed from the party. Sambhav Senthil reportedly disputed with Armstrong over real estate dealings.

Senthil, described by police as an ‘A+ history-sheeter’ with a record of multiple murder cases, is still at large. He and two associates, Krishna Kumar and Appu, are wanted by police.

Twenty-eight individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, which has also implicated members of various political parties, including the AIADMK, Tamil Maanila Congress, BJP, and Congress. A 5,000-page charge sheet has been submitted to the magistrate court.