Seven arrested in Bengal on terror charges

Seven people, including five Sri Lankans, were arrested in the city on suspicion of being involved in terror activities, police said on Sunday.

The seven people were arrested late Saturday. On Sunday, they were presented before a court which remanded them to police custody till August 24.

"A group of nine people, including several Sri Lankans, checked into a hotel in Chandni Chowk without any valid documents. While two of them checked out subsequently, we have arrested seven, including five Sri Lankans," said a police officer.

"We are interrogating them to know for what purpose they were in the city," said the officer, refusing to comment if the Sri Lankans are members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam separatist militant group.

West Bengal has already sounded a terror alert following intelligence reports that terrorists groups would be trying to create disturbances in the state.

"I have received inputs from the intelligence agency that some terrorist organisations are trying to create disturbance in Bengal. We have sounded an alert at railway stations, airports, important public places, vital installations and public buildings," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said earlier in the week.