An alert has been sounded at all airports in the country to detain Prashob Sugathan, a second officer in MV Prabhu Daya, who is expected to land in India on Thursday after being deported by Sri Lankan authorities.

Prashob apparently fell from the ship after it collided with a fishing boat off Alappuzha coast killing five Indian fishermen. He was rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy and has been undergoing treatment at a hospital near Colombo.

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case has been trying to take him into custody through the office of the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka.

His deposition before the SIT will be crucial in the case. While the ship authorities contend that Prashob had jumped into the sea in an attempt at suicide, his father, Sugathan, has lodged a complaint with police that his son was thrown into sea by a group in the ship, and that he had not attempted to commit suicide.

Initial reports said Prashob had decided to take the extreme step fearing action in connection with the mishap.

Ernakulam Range inspector general of police K Padmakumar said that the Immigration Wing had been alerted about his arrival from Colombo in order to thwart any possible attempt on Prashob’s part to escape arrest. “His arrest is crucial for the case,” the officer said.

As per information received from the office of the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Prashob will be deported to the nearest airport in India from Colombo. Most probably it will be Thiruvananthapuram airport. A police team will be camping there to arrest him once he lands there. The SIT will take him to Ambalappuzha court where it will move an application seeking his custody. (TNN)