38 Sri Lankan Tamils detained in Kerala

A group of 38 Sri Lankan Tamils, including five women and as many children, have been detained by police in Kollam, Kerala after they were found staying in a lodge under suspicious circumstances, officials said.

Police and officials of the Intelligence Bureau have been questioning them since last night. The Sri Lankans appeared to have landed here en route to Australia with the help of a local travel agent, they said.

While some of them came through the sea route from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, others arrived in Kerala by flight through Kochi, the officials said.

The women and children were allowed to remain in the hotel, while the men were taken to a local police station for questioning and examination of travel documents, police said, adding some of them did not have proper documents.

Intelligence agencies are also looking at whether anyone in the group has connections with the LTTE.

Kerala police are also in touch with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu in connection with the case, the officials said.