The Q Branch police have arrested two persons for assisting Sri Lankans detained near Madurai recently to reach Thoothukudi illegally by boats.
When a group of 40 Sri Lankans were nabbed in Mangaluru recently, they told the police that they reached the Karnataka city after landing in Thoothukudi illegally in boats in February last.
Another group of 27 Sri Lankans, who were nabbed by Q Branch police near Madurai, also told the investigators that they came to Madurai after reaching Thoothukudi via sea.
A few of the Sri Lankans detained in Madurai and brought to Thoothukudi on Thursday for investigation told the police that they landed near Mottaigopuram area and were kept in a hideout for a couple of days before being sent to Madurai.
Transfer at mid-sea
They also said that while on the way to Thoothukudi from Sri Lanka they were transferred to another boat on reaching mid-sea.
Subsequently, the Q Branch team, led by Inspector Shanmugam, arrested Karuththakannu and Socrates, both from Terespuram area in Thoothukudi, for assisting the Sri Lankans to enter India illegally. The two were taken to Madurai for interrogation.
Published - July 01, 2021 08:20 pm IST
