Ex-LTTE man held in India while trying to flee

The Indian city police arrested a former LTTE operative while he was attempting to escape to Switzerland on a fake passport at Trichy International Airport, the Times of India reported. Police also registered a case against two more persons from Ramanathapuram and Chennai for helping him obtained the fake passport. One of them was arrested.

On Sunday, the airport police apprehended a man for producing a fake passport to travel to Switzerland via Malaysia. During interrogation, police found out that he was a former LTTE operative A Kumaraguru, 39, of Allarai North, Kodikamam village in North Jaffna in Sri Lanka. He had obtained a fake passport in the name of A Arockiadass at Pamban light house in Ramanathapuram, with the help of a Tamil outfit member G Thirumurugan, 30, of Uppur post at Thiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram district, and S Mubarak Ali, 36, of Dargha colony in Mylapore in Chennai.

After losing his right leg in the war in Sri Lanka, Kumaraguru and his wife Sudharsini took refuge at Soolamedu in Chennai in July 2014. It was said that he was given shelter by a member of a Tamil outfit.

Sources said he was active in LTTE from 1992 to 1995. As situation normalized in his hometown, he sent his wife back to Sri Lanka in January while he continued to stay in Chennai.

Feeling unsafe to return home and unwilling to stay in India, Kumaraguru planned to take refuge in Switzerland, for which he needed a passport. Thirumurugan then approached Mubarak, who got him the fake passport.

Police said Kumaraguru was staying in a house in Subramaniyapuram for a couple of days before his departure to Malaysia. Based on the information, police arrested Thirumurugan. A case was registered under sections 467, 468, 471, 109 of IPC r/w 12 (1) (a) of Passport Act, 12 (1) (A) and 14, The Foreigners Act, 1946.