CHENNAI: The city police continued the search at eight properties of rowdy Nagendran, the prime accused in the murder of BSP state president Armstrong, in and around Vyasarpadi on Monday.

Last week, on Wednesday, police seized 50 machetes in Nagendran's house based on a tip-off that his younger brother, Ramesh, was at Nagendran's house in SM Nagar, Vyasarpadi, plotting to eliminate a rival.

Seven persons, including Ramesh, were arrested. Police sources said that Nagendran used the house several years ago and that it was taken over by his brother Ramesh after he went to prison. As Nagendran continued his criminal activities from prison, police kept track of Ramesh's actions and learnt that he had an ongoing rivalry with a rowdy, Mohan Das.

Along with P Ramesh (40), Vyasarpadi Police arrested Thamizharasan, P Murugan (52), D Thamizhagan (39), S Dhanush (28), E Sugumar (29) and P Kishore (30) - all relatives of Nagendran.

In October, almost three months after the brutal July 5 murder of Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong, the Greater Chennai Police filed a chargesheet before the metropolitan magistrate courts, Egmore, accusing life convict Nagendran and his former politician son, Aswathaman, along with the still elusive, 'Sambavam' Senthil as the main accused in Armstrong's murder.