The Q Branch Police team arrested a Sri Lankan national near Rameswaram railway station on Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
After interrogations conducted at the local police station here on Thursday, the police arrested the foreigner and his accomplice hailing from Rameswaram.
A senior officer told reporters on Friday that J. Keerthikan (28) of Jaffna, Sri Lanka had been to Chennai in 2020 on a tourist visa. He had reportedly planned to migrate to United Kingdom with the help of some “contacts” in Chennai. However, it did not materialise. In the process, his visa had expired.
As he was unable to go back to Sri Lanka, he had contacted his relatives back home, who had suggested he reach Rameswaram and get into a vessel through illegal means and reach the island waters.
On arrival at Rameswaram, Keerthikan had come into contact with Muthukumaran (48) of Pudu Theru, Rameswaram, who promised to send him to Sri Lanka. Noticing their suspicious movements, the Q Branch Inspector Maheswari conducted a probe. Personnel from central agencies too joined the investigation.l.
After an enquiry, a case under Indian Passports Act and others were registered against Keerthikan and he was sent to a local court for judicial custody. The accomplice Muthukumaran was also arrested. The Q Branch police seized Rs 10000 from the accused, which was deposited with the local police.
A senior officer in the Q Branch at Chennai told The Hindu that they have intensified the surveillance along the coastal belts in Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari as a precautionary measure. “ We want to ensure that there is no activity during this time along the IMBL. With the heightened economic crisis in Sri Lanka, the Central agencies too were on surveillance round-the-clock,” he added.
