March 2019 saw the savage killing of Ramalingam by PFI operatives in Tirubhuvanam, an event that risked igniting communal violence across the state. The NIA’s swift intervention turned the probe into a nationwide security matter.

Imtathullah from Dindigul faces charges in Chennai’s NIA court for hiding proclaimed offenders for six years, fully aware of their involvement. This chargesheet marks a crucial milestone in the ongoing investigation.

Flashback to February 5, 2019: PFI members pushed aggressive conversions in a local neighborhood. Ramalingam’s resistance provoked a deadly retaliation, plotted and executed the same day.

Earlier chargesheets named 18 suspects, six on the run. Progressive arrests— one in 2021, three in 2025—led back to Imtathullah’s restaurant hideout. His August 2025 arrest closed a major loop.

NIA’s relentless efforts have netted all key fugitives, but the hunt persists for PFI’s broader network. This prosecution reinforces India’s zero-tolerance stance against groups undermining social fabric.