The coastal security group (CSG) police have detained a Sri Lankan Tamil under the National Security Act (NSA) for running an illegal ferry service between Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu and Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. Suresh, 28, was caught when he came to Mandapam to drop two Sri Lankan Tamils and parked the boat, stolen from a Sri Lankan fisherman, on the sea shore.

The illegal ferry service came to light when a few fishermen spotted the Sinhalese fishing boat on the shore near Mandapam, where the biggest refugee transit camp is located . On a tip-off , police personnel laid a trap and nabbed Suresh just before he put out to sea and headed out for Talaimannar .

Police said Suresh has confessed to taking refugees back and forth. "The coastal security group police arrested Suresh for running an illegal ferry service. He was has also been detained under the NSA and remanded in judicial custody," additional director general of police (ADGP-CSG ) C Sylendra Babu told TOI.

Interrogation revealed that Suresh had been ferrying refugees illegally for the past several months. Police believe that many LTTE cadres and LTTE supporters, who failed to get travel documents from the Sri Lankan government, may have used the ferry service to land in Tamil Nadu. Likewise, the Sri Lankan Tamils staying in the refugee camps in the state and willing to return home may have also used the service. Suresh often stole a fishing boat and used it for ferrying people. He charged Rs 30,000 to 50,000 for a trip. (Times of India)