Thirteen Sri Lankan nationals, who were planning to go abroad by boat from Kerala's Kollam, were taken into custody from a lodge on Monday, September 5. The police had received information about the group that was staying there after fleeing from Sri Lanka. The group had moved to Kollam, which is 70 km from Tamil Nadu, and was believed to be making preparations for their travel to Australia. Some reports on the other hand suggested that they were planning to go to Canada. The Q branch police then got in touch with the Kerala Police and all of them were taken into custody.
Special police teams including sleuths from the elite Q branch of the Tamil Nadu police are in Kollam to interrogate the detained persons who are under the custody of the Kerala police. A senior officer with the Tamil Nadu police told IANS that the investigation is centred around two agents who were involved in bringing these people from Sri Lanka to India. Central intelligence agencies have reportedly given tip-offs about some people who have landed in Chennai and other airports of Tamil Nadu, who were missing even after their visit visa period had expired.
While only 13 people are under the custody of Kerala police for trying to illegally move to Australia, Tamil Nadu police suspect that there may be more people in hiding. Sources in Tamil Nadu police told IANS that there is proper coordination between the police of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and that the investigation is on track. The police are expected to produce all the detained persons before a court for further action.
It may be noted that a fishing boat comprising 243 people including children and pregnant women had illegally left the shores of India from Maliyankara boat jetty near Munambam in Kochi on January 12, 2018. The intelligence bureau had then given inputs that the 243 had left for Australia but whether they have reached the shores of that country or whether they perished in the sea is still a mystery.