Sri Lankan without travel papers held in Kerala

A Sri Lankan national, who claimed to have lost all his travel documents, was held from the bus station here and is being interrogated by both the state police and central security agencies, the Kerala Police said on Sunday.

Police officer V.P. Mohanlal told IANS that the man, who identifies himself as Maluge Dias, 32, was picked up on Saturday night from the bus station here.

"Dias says that he has lost his passport and other papers. Even though he claims to have flown in from Colombo, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to get any information from him. He has a language problem and at times, appears to behave as if he is of unsound mind.

"We will soon produce him before a magistrate and he will be remanded. Meanwhile we have also started legal formalities and have got in touch with the Sri Lankan mission. Once they give the necessary clearances, he will be repatriated," the police official said.

The Kerala Police also sought the help of the central agencies, whose representatives here have also questioned him.

In wake of the horrendous Easter Sunday bombings which left 253 people, including many Indians, dead and hundreds more injured,the Kerala Police is on a high alert, especially with Colombo connected by air with a flying time of less than 40 minutes from here.

--IANS

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