TN Q branch, NIA sleuths raid premises of people linked to LTTE

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu 'Q' branch, which is the elite group of the Tamil Nadu Police, has joined the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the search of the premises of people close to the LTTE.

The searches are the continuations of the raids conducted on Monday at some premises of former LTTE cadres and sympathisers in which one person, Ayyappan Nandu, was arrested. The investigation team had also seized incriminating documents and a few gold bars from the premises of former LTTE activists who are in hiding in Tamil Nadu.

It may be noted that for the past few days, there has been an alert by the Central Intelligence Agencies on the possibility of smuggling bids into the shores of Tamil Nadu. IANS had earlier reported about possible move of the agencies.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu Police told IANS that the 'Q' branch was also included in the investigation as some former operatives from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who had allegiance to a banned Islamist organisation, were part of the groups that have been assisting the former LTTE sympathisers.

The arrest of a former top-ranking intelligence operative of the LTTE, Santukam alias Sabesan from Chennai in October 2021, has prompted the intel agencies to spread their net.

Sources in Tamil Nadu Police told IANS that the raids and searches are carried out at specific places based on proper tip-offs.

The officers also said that the defunct LTTE was trying to regroup itself and has been quite active in the settlements of Sri Lankan Tamils including refugee camps, and has been circulating literature and materials aimed at propagating the ideology in these areas.