Eleven Sri Lankan nationals planning to sail abroad held in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 5 (IANS) Eleven Sri Lankan nationals, who were planning to go to Australia by a boat from Kerala's Kollam, were taken into custody from a lodge.

It was the Q Branch police of Tamil Nadu which first got the information, as the group was staying there after fleeing from Sri Lanka. The group had quietly moved to Kollam, which is 70 kms from Tamil Nadu and were making preparations for their voyage.

The Q branch police then got into touch with the Kerala Police and all of them were taken into custody and were being questioned by the joint police force officials.

This is not the first time that such an attempt has been thwarted by the police as not long ago, a similar attempt took place at Kochi and all those who tried to travel in a boat to Down Under were taken into custody.

The police are expected to produce all the 11 people before a court for further action.