south

Updated: Aug 25, 2019 05:49 IST

A man suspected to have links with terror outfits was on Saturday taken into custody from a Kerala court premises, while three persons have been detained in Coimbatore in connection with the reported intrusion of six Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) members into Tamil Nadu.

The three were taken into custody for interrogation on suspicion that they were in touch with terrorists and are being interrogated at an undisclosed place, police said in Coimbatore, as strict vigil continued in various parts of Tamil Nadu for the second day on Saturday.

In Kerala, a man suspected to have links with terror outfits was taken into custody by police from the premises of a court at Kochi, officials said.

Malayalam TV channels aired a video of the man being whisked away by police from the district court premises. But police did not answer queries by the media.

His lawyer told a channel that the man from Kodungallur in Thrissur district, who returned from Bahrain two days ago, and a woman were picked up by police as they came to the court to move a plea to “prove his innocence” before law enforcement agencies following reports that he had links with LeT members who had reportedly intruded into Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka.

The Navy has sounded a high alert at sea following intelligence inputs about the intrusion.

Security was tightened in Tamil Nadu on Friday following reports that six LeT members had infiltrated the state by sea from Sri Lanka and moved to different cities, including Coimbatore.

Police said on Saturday that vehicle checks were intensified on arterial roads and highways connecting Coimbatore city with neighbouring states, and baggage thoroughly checked by armed police personnel. Similarly, checks were on in railway stations, bus stands and the airport.

Armed forces have been deployed at temples, mosques and churches, which were normally targeted by terrorists as was done in Sri Lanka recently, they added.

(With agency inputs)