Seven held for attempt to smuggle detonators for LTTE

Madurai, Jan 9 (UNI) In a major crackdown on the supporters of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Tamil Nadu 'Q' Branch Police, dealing with terrorist and extremist outfits, today arrested seven people, including a Sri Lankan national for attempting to smuggle detonators to the outfit.

The 'Q' Branch Police said, on a tip off, a special team arrested Siva Krishnan (30), a Sri Lankan refugee, when he was handing over a bag containing 5,000 detonators to one Muthuramalingam of Ramanathapuram district at the Madurai railway station yesterday.

On interrogation, Krishnan confided to the police that he had on January 3, sent 5,000 detonators, copper plates and beedi bundles to the LTTE, through one Murugapandi, stated to be the key link in the smuggling operation.

The special team later arrested Murugapandi and his accomplices 'Auto' Raja (31), 'Poo' Murugan (21), a boat operator, Chandru (25) and Senthil Murugan (27), at Ramanathapuram.

Police also seized Rs 1.5 lakh of ''hawala money'', allegedly sent by the LTTE to Murugapandi to fund the smuggling. He was also found involved in smuggling of steel balls to the LTTE last year.

Murugapandi was evading arrest for several months. The 'Q' branch police launched a dragnet for one Ragu of Chennai, who facilitated the smuggling.

UNI GSM/WS JJ PB ND2022