After LTTE’s air strike on the single International airport in Sri Lanka, The government of India has decided to set up radar in southern part of India to restrict such kind of attack in Indian part of the subcontinent too. The Indian Air Force has installed radar at Seeniappa Dargah in a casuarina jungle near the Sundaramudayan coastal village. The village is 30 km north of the pilgrim town of Rameswaram.
The mobile radar would become operational today and it has been placed near the part of Sri Lanka that is under the LTTE’s control. The Indian Air Force would be in the charge of the operations of the radar an IAF commander would supervise the control and monitor the skies and any threat coming from southern side of the sub continent. According to the report, the IAF is also planning to make the place as a permanent air base.
The radar also has an air defence system fitted with an anti-aircraft gun and would be completely able to detect any enemy aircraft found violating the Indian airspace.
Further, According to Naval Officer Commanding, Commodore P E Van Haltren, the government is also planning to set up radars on several more specific locations at the coastal region in Tamil Nadu. This has become necessary after rising clashes between the Lankan armed forces and the LTTE.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have been alarmed following the LTTE’s rising strength. It has started patrolling along the Indian Maritime Border Line dividing India and Sri Lanka. They had even seized a LTTE boat that was packed with explosives and later blown up in mid-sea.
Now, the number of marine commandos has been increased in the region. The number of commandos had been increased to double at the Forward Observation Post at Sangam Point at Arichalmunai. Arichalmunai is near to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka.
The Naval air station at Uchipuli, 45 km near to Rameswaram, is doing regular patrolling in the area and according to another report; police had seized 1950 detonators hidden in a coconut grove in Uchipuli. The local police are investigating to find out the connection of the detonators with LTTE, if any.
