Suspected LTTE supporters arrested

Chennai, Jan 24 (UNI) The City 'Q' branch police today arrested eight persons, including five Sri Lankans, suspected to be LTTE supporters, for allegedly attempting to smuggle about two tonne of iron balls at Periyamedu in the city today.

Police said one Sivakaran alias Siva alias Shankar (33) of Eralali South, Jaffna, who came to India as a refugee in 2000 and stayed at Mandapam refugees camp, and left from there in 2002 had indulged in suspicious activities.

On a tip off, the Q branch police special team kept a surveillance and found him alongwith seven others. Police seized a car, cash worth Rs five lakh and three mobile phones and the two vehicles, containing 40 small gunny bags and iron balls. They were brought from Mumbai to the city and were to be taken to Sri Lanka via Tuticorin.

The arrested were identified as Selvasonthan alias Sonthan alias Gracian (34), Sathish alias Nithi (18), Bharathidasan alias Bharathi (22) all from Jaffna and Karan alias Yogaraja (25) of Kilinochchi of Sri Lanka, Mayilvahanan (35), S Jayaraj (37) and Rasheeth Ahamed (40) hailing from Tiruchirapalli.

Police suspected the seized iron balls were meant for manufacturing explosives.

All the eight were remanded to judicial custody, police added.

On the information given by Sivakaran, further search was conducted at the house of Prabakaran alias Veluchamy at Tuticorin and seized 3 tonne of iron balls, kept for smuggling to Sri Lanka Police arrested him and investigation was on.

UNI