Pro-Eelam campaign hots up in T ’ Nadu

An orchestrated pro-Eelam campaign by certain political parties in Tamil Nadu continues as more cases of detection of contraband going to the LTTE were reported while tight security was provided for Vesak celebrations in Chennai this week. The sudden surge of support for the Tamil cause has given rise to fears of renewed LTTE activity and propaganda in the State, with related concerns about security and smuggling.

This week several Sri Lankans had visited Tamil Nadu taking advantage of the long Vesak Poya holidays in Sri Lanka. There had been several events and rituals which were organized in several areas of Tamil Nadu to commemorate the birth of Lord Buddha.

Many of these events were held in the midst of tight security as Indian Intelligence agencies had received information on the possibility of there being a security threat in the locations where Vesak had been commemorated as it comes in the wake of a multiple bomb blast that killed nearly 60 people and injured scores in the northern Indian city of Jaipur.

In the backdrop of the Jaipur blast a joint intelligence committee meeting which was held in the Indian capital of New Delhi decided to intensify security in the localities where Vesak was being commemorated. A few intelligence officers were also flown from New Delhi to Chennai to look into the security situation of the areas that had organized Vesak related events.

The campaigns by several political parties in support of the LTTE's cause for a separate Tamil homeland, has been a concern in India."New Delhi is concerned over the support many political parties in Tamil Nadu are giving the LTTE. We have received information that Tamil Nadu is being used as a supply base for the rebels as there is a regular influx of refugees from Sri Lanka to Tamil Nadu. We are concerned if there are LTTE operatives who are entering the country under the pretext of being displaced persons. The local police in the area are also unable to handle the situation due to tremendous political pressure," an Indian official who did not wanted to be quoted said.

Recently the Indian joint intelligence committee compiled a report on how the influx of refugees has increased LTTE operations in Tamil Nadu. It had listed the names of LTTE operatives and their assignments in Tamil Nadu. Last Sunday sleuths from the Tamil Nadu police investigations division "Q" branch nabbed two LTTE operatives and one of their associates from Madurai when they were attempting to smuggle hi-frequency communication devices and fuel to Mullaitivu.

The "Q" branch detectives had received intelligence on the operatives' movements and had been trailing them for some time. The detectives had been gathering information provided by an LTTE operative who was apprehended last year for trying to smuggle explosives from Tamil Nadu to the north of Sri Lanka.

The "Q" branch detectives arrested these three when they intercepted the Tata Sumo truck in which the trio was travelling in on Raja Mill Road in Madurai. The arrested LTTEers were identified as P. Viji alias Jayaraj of Pesalai and T. Chinnavan alias Padmarasa, a native of Jaffna. The "Q" branch detectives seized 44 sets of Japanese made ICOM-brand high frequency trans-receivers, Indian Rs. 459,000 and 175 litres of fuel.

The Sunday Times learns that Viji had come to India as a refugee in 1990 and was lodged in Periyar Nagar camp in Madurai. Later, he was shifted to Koodal Nagar camp as he was accused of carrying out several killings in various parts of India.