NIA worried over revival of LTTE as it finds nexus between Pak, Lankan smugglers

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday claimed that drugs and arms traffickers from India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have been trying to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). Writes ETV Bharat's Gautam Debroy.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday claimed that drugs and arms traffickers of India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have been trying to the revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). The premier investigative agency made such a claim following an investigation of illegal activities of drugs and arms in Sri Lanka and India.

"The drugs and arms traffickers have been operating in India and Sri Lanka and working for the revival of LTTE and to further its violent activities," an NIA official said.

The NIA on Wednesday conducted searches at 22 premises of accused and suspects in Chennai, Tiruppur, Chengalpattu, and Tiruchirapally districts in Tamil Nadu in the case of illegal activities of Sri Lankan drug mafia being operated by C Gunasekharan alias Guna in association with Haji Salim, drugs and arms supplier based in Pakistan.

The case was registered suo moto by NIA in July this year under Sections 120B of IPC, sections 18, 20, 38, 39, and 40 of UA (P) Act besides sections 8 (c) and 29 of NDPS Act. The searches conducted today led to the recovery and seizure of digital devices and various incriminating documents.

What has increased the concern of the investigative agency is the involvement of Pakistan-based drugs and arms traffickers in the illegal business. "The proximity between Sri Lankan and Pakistan arms and drug suppliers is really a matter of concern. As we know that the money generated from this illegal racket is being used to fund terrorism across India especially Jammu & Kashmir," the NIA official said.

The LTTE fighting for an independent Tamil state named Tamil Elam comprising the north-east of Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009, was pronounced dead by the Sri Lankan government after it killed all the LTTE leaders.

In another incident, NIA conducted searches at nine locations in Kashmir (four in Srinagar and five in Pulwama districts) in a case related to the conspiracy of carrying out terror activities in and around the valley. The NIA arrested four accused persons and seized 15 pistols, 30 magazines, 300 rounds, and one Scorpio vehicle.

Meanwhile, the investigative agency arrested the 7th accused in a case related to the mushrooming of Jammatul Majahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Bhopal. The arrested accused has been identified as Ali Asgar alias Abdullah Bihari.

"The case relates to the arrest of six active cadres of proscribed JMB including three illegal immigrants of Bangladesh from Aishbagh in Bhopal who were found involved in propagating the JMB plans and motivating youths to carry out Jihad against India," NIA official said. On Tuesday, NIA conducted similar searches at three locations in east Champaran in Bihar in the same case.