COIMBATORE: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has started investigating the seizure of arms and ammunition from two Salem youth, who were arrested in May on suspicion of being LTTE sympathisers.
Sources said M Naveen alias Naveen Chakravarthy (25) and J Sanjay Prakash (24) were intercepted by Salem police near the Puliyampatti bus stand in Omalur on May 19. Police seized two country-made pistols, four bullets, gunpowder, knives, lighter, petrol, two walkie-talkies, masks and gloves from them. They were arrested and charged under Sections, 25 (1) (a), 25(1AA) and 25 (1B) (a) of the Arms Act and Section 4(a) of the Explosive Substances Act.
Later, police recovered material evidence related to the LTTE from their room, and the case was handed over to the Q branch in June. The Union Home Ministry ordered a transfer of the case to the NIA on July 22, and the agency took over the case on July 27.
The NIA’s FIR says the two were inspired by the LTTE and wanted create a similar organization to wage an armed struggle in Tamil Nadu. The two are lodged in the Salem central prison and NIA is likely to take them into custody for questioning soon.