Tamil Nadu on high alert to arrest Tiger infiltrators

Hardcore LTTE fighters and their supporters entering Tamil Nadu illegally will be immediately apprehended and detained, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police P. Rajendran said.

Rajendran told the Asian Tribune, Tamil Nadu has already tightened coastal area security and taken adequate measures to stop smuggling of goods and materials from Tamil Nadu by Tiger agents to Sri Lanka.

He added: "We have strengthened our coastal security area. There is a separate group known as the 'Coastal Security Group' working round the clock on the look out for infiltrators by sea and operating in the entire coastal area of Tamil Nadu."

Rajendran dismissed the rumour that Prabhakaran and his wife Mathivathani were seen in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. He scoffed it as a rumour and pooh-poohed it as a 'cock and bull' story.

He told the Asian tribune "The Coastal Security Group is constantly moving with the public and everybody.

"And they are collecting intelligence as well. There is a branch called Q-branch, and they are also on the move.

"So whatever intelligence is there, we take action immediately. We are monitoring the situation very closely and action is being taken to apprehend LTTE militants entering the country."

Propagating the ideals of a banned organisations or supporting them within the State are to be severely dealt with.

Accordingly those pro-LTTE supporters in Tamil Nadu would be dealt under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (37 of 1967).

On January 13 last year Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister Durai Murugan made a suo motu statement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly announcing that any activity in support of the banned outfits is a crime under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and those indulging in such activities would be subjected to legal action.

Murugan said in the Tamil Nadu State Assembly that a high-level meeting presided by chief minister and attended by Finance Minister K.Anbhazhagan, himself, advocate general Masilamani, Chief Secretary L.K.Tripathy and top civil and police officers discussed the issue.

The meeting, he said, discussed in detail whether a new Act was necessary or the existing legislation was enough to take action on those supporting banned organisations. Finally, the meeting, he said, arrived at a decision that any activity in support of any banned outfit such as organizing campaigns, distributing hand bills, pasting wall posters, demonstrations, processions and fasts and taking part in them were against the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (37 of 1967).

"The Government's announcement is a warning to those individuals and those who function as a movement or organisation who commit such offences. Action will be taken against those found to be indulging in any one of these above mentioned activities, as per the particular law," Murugan said.

Asian Tribune