NIA arrests nine suspected Sri Lankan LTTE militants in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: Nine Sri Lankans were arrested from a special camp for Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu early this week for alleged involvement in illegal drugs and arms trade to revive the LTTE terror group, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said.

Those arrested Sri Lankan LTTE militants included C Gunashekharan alias Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna. They were working closely with Haji Salim, a drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan, a spokesperson of the federal anti-terror agency said.

The arrests were made in connection with a case registered by the agency on July 8. They were followed up with raids at the premises of the accused and suspects in Chennai, Thiruppur, Chengalpattu and Thiruchirapally districts in the state.

Thousands of Sri Lankan, mostly Tamil refugees live in several Tamil Nadu camps. They are being supported by the Tamil Nadu State, providing them with food, water and other essential items on humanitarian grounds.

Tamil refugees fled Sri Lanka for India for various reasons at different times, mostly to escape ethnic violence. However, recently several hundred families reached India because of the economic crisis in their country.