Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Police on Saturday morning arrested an Islamic State (IS) suspect from a fishing hamlet in the state’s Ramanathapuram district.

The suspect was identified as A Shaik Dawood, 32. He was hiding in the abandoned hamlet, where police personnel found only gym equipment, to avoid apprehension.

The police say Dawood had allegedly transferred funds to Abdul Shahmim, a prime accused in the murder of Special Superintendent of Police Vincent Wilson earlier this month.

Three suspected IS members were arrested earlier this month for their alleged involvement in recruiting youths and raising funds for the terrorist group. The men were booked under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) as well as the Information Technology Act for spreading religious and extremist ideologies through social media apps such as WhatsApp.

The men, identified as Pitchai Kani (Puraa Kani), Mohamed Ali and Amir, were arrested when they were attending a meeting at Buhariya school grounds in Devipattinam.

Dawood was the fourth and prime suspect absconding until now. He was earlier arrested by the Intelligence Bureau for participating in “anti-national” activities and later released on bail.

Security agencies are probing a link between the men and Wilson’s murder that took place along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border earlier this month.

The Karnataka Police has so far arrested two persons from the coastal district of Udupi on suspicion of being involved in the murder. Police sources said the two have financially helped to hatch the murder plot of the senior police officer.