Kollam (Kerala): The Kollam East police on Monday arrested 11 people when they were trying to flee to Australia. Two of those arrested are from Sri Lanka and nine are from a Sri Lankan refugee camp in Tamil Nadu. All 11 are being interrogated by the Kollam East Police and the Q Branch of Tamil Nadu. The investigation was based on a tip-off by the Tamil Nadu Q Branch team to the Kollam City Police Commissioner. Based on the inputs, a search centred around the mobile phone tower location led the police to the accused, who were residing in a lodge located at Kollam Beach Road.
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The initial investigation was focused on the two natives of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka Antony Keshavan and Pavithran, who had arrived on a tourist visa from Sri Lanka via Chennai airport on August 19. Tracing this strand of investigation further, officials got a hold of the remaining nine refugees. As informed by officials, more people have reached Kollam while further investigation will most likely to trace them down.
The nine people arrested are from Thirichinappalli, Chennai and Mandapam camps in Tamil Nadu. The Kerala police are currently trying to find out the identity of the owner of the boat. So far officials have been able to identify Laxman, an agent, who coordinates from Sri Lanka with those involved in the trafficking in India. The police are also trying to trace his associates in Kollam.
