Indians sailed out from Munambam

Kochi: The police on Wednesday confirmed that Indian citizens, and not Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, had sailed from Munambam to a foreign coast the other day. 

The police now suspect that around 80 people had left for foreign countries against the earlier assumption of 41. Sources said that most of them were from Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, as part of the probe, police teams have been sent to different places across the country, including New Delhi and Chennai, to make further investigations.

"There is a possibility of the involvement of a mafia behind the incident and we are working on that to track them down immediately. The likelihood of the agents, who arranged the journey to travel along with them, also cannot be ruled out. The probe team has got the details about the entire plot," Mr Vijay S. Sakhare, Inspector-General of Police, Ernakulam Range, told DC.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the CCTV footages collected from different resorts and homestays in the rural limits were not helpful in finding out the suspects. The sources also said that some of the homestays and resorts were not opened when the probe team reached there to collect visuals and check identity cards.

It has emerged that 82 suspected illegal immigrants who had stayed at Chottanikkara for a few days had drawn police attention following their lavish spending. 

The police had even collected their details and photographs but were told that they were staying behind since a woman in the group was due for delivery. Besides, it was not uncommon for Tamils to stay at Chottanikkara during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, it was pointed out.

Srikanth, a native of Kulachel in Tamil Nadu and one of the two partners who bought the boat Daya Matha II, which was suspected to have been used for illegal immigration, is still absconding. The other partner, Anilkumar, is in police custody. 

A number of police officials have been sent across the country in search of him.