Villianur blast: NIA searches accused’s place

CHENNAI: National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Wednesday searched properties linked to Nithyanandam alias Nithi, the key accused in the murder of Senthil Kumar at Villianur in Villupuram in March.
Senthil Kumaran was murdered by six motorcycle-borne assailants, who hurled a country-made bomb to stun him before hacking him to death with machetes and knives.
NIA officers said they seized mobile phones, SIM cards, a dongle, a motorcycle and some incriminating documents during their searches on Wednesday. The searched places included an undisclosed residential property of Nityanandam and three other premises in Puducherry and Cuddalore.
The searches were part of the NIA investigation to untangle the complete conspiracy hatched by Nitiyanandam and the other accused and suspects. The case was initially registered at the Villianur police station. The NIA took over the investigation in June.