TN govt will not allow acts of violence: Karunanidhi

Chennai, Jan 27: Asserting that his government would not allow any 'acts of violence' in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told the Assembly today that the recent attempt to smuggle iron balls to Sri Lanka from the state would have repercussions on efforts to resolve the Lankan issue.

Replying to a debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, he said at a time when everyone wanted to forget the past and was looking forward to an amicable solution of the ethnic crisis, such reports of smuggling might cause severe consequences.

He said Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, Siva alias Sivakaran, who had escaped from the Mandapam camp, was under surveillance and he was located in the city on January 23 along with seven others.

Police seized two vehicles containing 40 bags of iron balls, each 8 mm in diameter and weighing 50 kg, along with Rs five lakh in cash and three cellphones.

Interrogation revealed that the material had been procured in Mumbai and brought to Chennai by road.

On information provided by Sivakaran, a search was conducted in the house of one Prabhakaran in Tuticorin and a consignment of 60 bags of iron balls was seized, he said.

Stating that nine people had been arrested so far in this connection, Mr Karunanidhi said the 'Q' branch of the Tamil Nadu Police had gone to Maharashtra for further investigations.

UNI