Mannar man Rahulan alias Anthony produced in a Tiruchi court - Tamil Nadu

A criminal court in the South Indian city of Tiruchi ordered a Sri Lankan Tamil named Rahulan alias Anthony to be kept in the custody of the Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu Police for further question him on the ongoing investigation into supplying explosive and other warlike material to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The man produced in the court on March 13 is considered to be an important link in the investigations and most probably a member of the terrorist group the LTTE from Mannar. He will be kept for a further period of ten days by the Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu Police.

According to prior information released by the Tamil Nadu police in the case it was after questioning Rahulan alias Anthony they were able to trace 4.5 metric tons of iron balls at a place called Perambalur locked up in a house where soap was being manufactured.

The Q branch of the Tamil Nadu police, which investigates into terrorist activities in the state, initially took Rahulan into custody after questioning another man connected with the LTTE, from Sri Lanka, named Arulseelan, resident in the city of Tiruchi and on the information divulged by him.

Based on the information released by Rahulan alias Anthony, the Q branch, raided the house where soap was being manufactured, locked inside a room. The house is owned by a LTTE sympathizer named Ramesh Kumar and he is believed to be on the run after the seizure of the iron balls. The police said they still looking out for Ramesh kumar.

Meanwhile the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee has said that it would not allow a situation where a culture of violence to be developed in the state of Tamil Nadu.

In a recent press conference the Congress Committee said it would not tolerate a culture of arms in the state and oppose any room for violence in the state.

Welcoming the State's steps to crack down on the supporters of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Tamil Nadu, TNCC president M. Krishnasswamy said the peace prevailing in the State should not be disturbed by the "unlawful activities" of LTTE supporters. He congratulated the State police for arresting 12 LTTE supporters and detaining them under the Goondas Act.