Tamil Nadu, Kerala Put on High Alert After Intel Warns of 6 LeT Members Entering State Via Sri Lanka

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Tamil Nadu has been on high alert since Thursday midnight following intelligence inputs that a six-member group of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had infiltrated the state.

The reports suggested six members of the terror outfit entered the state by sea from Sri Lanka. The Tamil Nadu Police have launched a combing operation and raided several locations. One Pakistani and five Sri Lankan Tamil Muslims are among the six to have made their way into the state.

The Pakistani national was identified as Illyas Anwar in the alert sent to all city police commissioners and superintendents of police. According to the warning, the men are likely to have disguised themselves as Hindus "with tilak/bhabuti smeared on their foreheads".

Following the inputs, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behra directed all districts to be on high alert .

Behara has directed that all bus stands, railway stations, airports and other public places where people gather in large numbers should be on high alert. Surveillance and security will also be strengthened around places of worship.

"Kerala has been on a high watch from last (Thursday) evening. Inspections have been strengthened along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, especially in Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts," said sources. "Security has been beefed up at transport hubs, vital installations in the state and places of worship, including Sabarimala and Guruvayoor temples."

"The alert has come in from outside the state. There is also information of a person from Kerala being a part of it, so investigation is also on in this direction," they added.

Security has been stepped up at public installations in Tamil Nadu as well. An alert has been sounded, especially in coastal districts, to prevent any further possible intrusion, the police said.

There has been tight patrolling across Coimbatore district. Vehicle checks have been intensified in the city and border areas, the police said. Though the identity or the nationality of the intruders were yet to be ascertained, sources said one person belonged to Pakistan.

(With inputs from Neethu Reghukumar in Thiruvananthapuram)