TN coastal security best, claims DGP

Chennai, Jun 12 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) today dismissed as false charges that the state government had failed to strengthen the coastal security, following which the country faced a threat from terrorist outfits like LTTE and Al-Qaeda.

Reacting to AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa's charge that a senior Union Home Ministry official and National Security Advisor have expressed apprehensions that terrorist outfits might carry out attacks through Tamil Nadu sea coast, DGP J P Jain said there was no truth in this.

He said Tamil Nadu has taken the lead in strengthening coastal security and other coastal states were following Tamil Nadu model.

After the Centre directed the coastal states to strengthen security in 2005, the then government (AIADMK) did not take any action, he said adding, after the DMK came to power in May 2006, orders were issued for the setting up of 13 coastal police stations.

While seven police stations have been established already, the construction of five more police stations would be completed soon.

After the completion of training programme, police personnel would be posted in seven police stations and they would start functioning within a week. Before the end of August, five other police stations would become operational, the DGP said.

On request by the state government, the Centre has sent two Coast Guard ships and patrolling vessels.

The state Coast Guard police, in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard was effectively preventing the smuggling of goods to Sri Lanka and infiltration of terrorists into the state, the DGP said.

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