NIA chargesheets 13 in Puducherry bomb blast, assassination case

New Delhi [India], September 22 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted 13 persons in the Villianur (Puducherry) bomb blast case involving the assassination of a political functionary in a brutal attack.

Key conspirator in the case, Nithyanandam, along with his associates Vignesh, Siva Sankar, Raja, Pradap, Karthikeyan, Vengatesh, Rajamani, Ezhumalai, Kathirvel, Ramachandiran, Lakshmanan, Dhilipan and Ramanathan were charge-sheeted by the agency.

All of them, except Ramanathan, have been charge-sheeted by the NIA under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

All the accused were arrested after the crime they committed.

Six motorcycle-borne assailants had on March 26 this year 2023 hurled countrymade bombs at Senthul Kumaran in front of a bakery located at Villianur in the Puducherry union territory. The accused then attacked the victim with machetes, killing him on the spot.

The local police had initially registered a case, which was handed over to the NIA and re-registered on April 29 this year.

As per the NIA investigations in the case, the conspiracy to attack Senthil Kumaran was masterminded by Nithiyanantham with the aim of striking terror among the local people in Villianur and surrounding areas.

In furtherance of the conspiracy, Nithiyanantham had formed a terrorist gang to fabricate countrymade explosives and had also organised the machetes to commit the brutal attack.

As part of the conspiracy, the NIA said, Nithiyanantham had sent Kathirvel to conduct surveillance on Senthil Kumaran in Villianur.

After Senthil’s presence in the area was confirmed, the agency said, the main accused sent the six assailants, Vignesh, Siva Sankar, Raja, Pradeep, Karthikeyan and Vengatesh, on three motorcycles to carry out the assassination.

After the fatal attack, the accused had hidden the vehicles and blood-stained machetes used in the assassination, along with their blood-stained clothes. “Recovery of these items was made during investigations, on the basis of their disclosures,” added the agency.