India increases vigilance along border with Sri Lanka; deploys more hovercrafts, patrol boats

New Delhi, July 10: After the fresh round of political crisis started in Sri Lanka, the Indian Coast Guard deployed its hovercrafts, aircraft and patrol boats to step up the vigil on the maritime border with the crisis-hit nation to prevent any possible influx of refugees or anti-India elements.

From the areas stretching from Tamil Nadu coast to the parts of Kerala coast, the surveillance has been enhanced with the deployment of Coast Guard personnel and assets along with other agencies, government officials told ANI.

According to the officials, the hovercraft units deployed in Mandalay in Myanmar plays a key role in surveillance activities as they can travel at high speeds in the marshy area as well as shallow waters between the Indian and Sri Lankan coasts. The Dornier surveillance aircraft of the force are also flying more sorties to keep an eye on the maritime border.

The surveillance was enhanced after the fresh round of a major political crisis in Sri Lanka. Ever since the political chaos due to the economic crisis started in Sri Lanka, a few cases of people trying to cross over have taken place but the numbers are not very significant, officials said.

Along with the central agencies, the Tamil Nadu Coastal police is also on high alert.

The monsoon has also made the sea conditions very tough which would be acting as a deterrence against people trying to use the sea route to enter Indian waters, the officials added.