New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at four locations in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu in connection with the Villianur bomb blast and assassination attack in March this year.

The raids were carried out at the premises of the key accused, including an undisclosed residential property of the main accused, Niti alias Nityanandam, the NIA said.

"A total of four premises was searched in Puducherry and Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, leading to the seizure of digital devices (mobile phones), SIM Cards, dongle, motorcycle and other incriminating documents," said the NIA.

The various gadgets and documents seized in today’s raids are under examination and the NIA probe in the case continues, said the anti-terror agency.

The raids were part of the NIA investigation to untangle the complete conspiracy hatched by Nitiyanandam and the other accused and suspects.

The victim Senthil Kumaran was brutally murdered in front of Hariharan Sweet Stall located at Villupuram by six bike-borne assailants, who lobbed a country-made bomb to stun the victim before hacking him to death with machetes and knives.

The case was initially registered by Puducherry Police at Villianur Police Station.

"The NIA had taken over the investigation after registration of NIA case RC no 06/2023/NIA/DLI (Villianur Bomb Blast Case) to carry out further investigations," said the agency.