CHENNAI: A history-sheeter was arrested in Arakkonam after intelligence inputs suggested the possibility of retaliatory attacks linked to the murder of former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president K Armstrong.
The accused, Jayapal alias 'One-Eyed' Jayapal (66), a resident of KP Nagar in Arakkonam, was arrested by a special squad and later handed over to the Basin Bridge police. Around 2 kg of ganja was seized from him, police said.
Jayapal has more than 13 criminal cases pending against him, including murder and attempt-to-murder cases. He is also an accused in the murder of notorious Pulianthope-based gangster Arcot Suresh.
Police sources said Jayapal was known to be a close associate of Armstrong, who was hacked to death in Chennai on July 5, 2024. With Armstrong's death anniversary approaching next month and several accused in the murder case having secured bail recently, intelligence agencies had warned of possible revenge attacks.
Based on the alert, police teams intensified surveillance on Jayapal. During monitoring, police allegedly found that he was in contact with several rowdies in areas under the Basin Bridge police limits. Acting on specific information, a special police team tracked and arrested him in Arakkonam.
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and Jayapal was produced before a court and remanded in custody. Police are continuing investigations to ascertain whether any conspiracy was being hatched to target persons linked to the Armstrong murder case.