The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India has arrested nine Sri Lankans from the special camp for Tamil refugees at Tiruchirapalli for their alleged involvement in smuggling of drugs and arms to revive the activities of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Hindustan Times said those arrested have been identified as C. Gunashekharan alias Guna, a resident of Colombo, who was key person in the alleged LTTE revival conspiracy in association with Pakistani national Haji Salim; Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna; Mohammad Asmin; Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseaa, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Ladiya Chandrasena, Dhanukka Roshan, Vella Suranka and Thilipan.
“The case pertains to activities of a Sri Lankan drug mafia controlled by C Gunashekharan and Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, in association with Haji Salim, drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan, which has been operating in India and Sri Lanka in illegal drugs and arms for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka,” said NIA in a statement.
Haji Salim, according to a counter-terrorism official in Delhi, “runs one of the biggest networks of smuggling drugs and arms from Pakistan to Sri Lanka”.
The agency did not describe role of other arrested persons in the case.
