KOCHI: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched a detailed inquiry into a possible national security threat at Mookunnimala region in Thiruvananthapuram where the Indian Air Force (IAF) has a radar system set up exclusively for air surveillance.
MoD officers have taken stock of the situation as a lot of migrant labourers without any valid ID documents are working at quarries located in the area.“The issue is of prime importance as the quarries are operating where the IAF has a vital installation,” said an officer.
The issue came to light when local residents raised the issue with the authorities concerned. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already sent a communication to the state government about the issue. A complaint from the Mookunimala Samrakshana Samiti had mentioned about the use of explosives on a large scale and the presence of illegal immigrants disguised as migrant labourers.
“The NIA has conducted first level of inquiry at the spot. The MoD is also conducting a parallel inquiry to ascertain the ground-level situation,” the officers said, adding that the prevailing threat from Left-Wing Extremists had, in fact, given a new dimension to the probe.
The Samiti members had raised a complaint stating that the mining and explosions were causing extensive damage to the IAF installation.They also alleged that though the IAF had raised the issue with the state government, the latter did not take any concrete action to check it.