Date:01/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/01/stories/2008060160000800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Patrolling along coast intensified

C. Jaishankar

Special steps taken to ensure safety of refugees, says Vice-Admiral

taking stock: Vice-Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, at the Naval detachment at Rameswaram on Saturday.

RAMANATHAPURAM: The Navy has intensified patrolling along the Tamil Nadu coast to prevent ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka from having any impact on Indian waters, according to Vice-Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Saturday after visiting the Navy’s assets at Rameswaram, he said special steps had been taken to ensure the safety of refugees whenever they came to Indian shores.

When his attention was drawn to the reported incidents of arrival of LTTE cadres under the guise of refugees, Mr. Verma said the Tamil Nadu police and intelligence agencies had a major role to play in this. Antecedents and claims of refugees must be verified. There was already a mechanism in force.

Asked if the Navy needed to increase its fleet and asset strength along the Tamil Nadu coast, he said the Centre had decided to set up marine police stations. Several police stations were being established in Tamil Nadu too. Whenever there was a necessity to augment its patrolling resources, the Navy would do it.