'Arrival' of LTTE chief's wife sets off speculation

Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Jan 10 (UNI) Reports of Proscribed LTTE Chief V Prabhakaran's wife Madhivadani's arrival in this island along with a group of Sri Lankan refugees has put security agencies on alert with searches being conducted at various camps across the state, especially in Mandapam and Madurai.

Sources said the Q Branch Police, State and Central Intelligence Agencies are checking various Sri Lankan Refugee Camps across the state, especially in Mandapam and Madurai, to ascertain if Ms Madhivadani had indeed come to India.

Tamil Nadu has 64 camps across the state housing the refugees whose influx has increased due to the prevailing situation in the island nation, they claimed.

Meanwhile, Ramanathapuram Collector Girloshkumar dismissed the reports as a rumour. However, security has been tightened and increased vigil maintained, he said.

The report assumes significance as hostilities in the island nation have increased with Colombo withdrawing from the 2002 Norway- brokered Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) and the Tamil Tiger rebels vowing today to mount large scale counter-offensives if the Armed forces tried to capture 'their territory.' UNI XR GM PB RN1701