The Indian Air Force has installed a radar close to the Sundaramudayan coastal village, 30 km north of the pilgrim town of Rameswaram, following Monday’s air attack by the LTTE on a Sri Lankan air force base near Colombo.The mobile radar, which became operational today, was installed near Rameswaram as it is closest to north Sri Lanka, most of which is under LTTE control. Installed at Seeniappa Dargah in a casuarina jungle near the Sundaramudayan village in Ramanathapuram district, the radar would be operated by IAF personnel and supervised by a commander to monitor the skies following the rebel Tigers’ maiden aerial attack. The location could become a permanent air base, the official said.According to a defence official, the radar also has an air defence system fitted with an anti-aircraft gun to intercept any enemy aircraft that might violate Indian airspace in the region. Meanwhile, discussions are also on for setting up radars on specific locations along the Tamil Nadu coast for shore-based surveillance of the region, which has become sensitive following increased hostilities between the Lankan armed forces and the LTTE, Naval Officer Commanding, Commodore P E Van Haltren, told The Indian Express.The LTTE’s air attacks have also prompted the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to strengthen patrolling along the Indian Maritime Border Line dividing India and Sri Lanka. “We had stepped up patrolling in the Palk Bay and in the Gulf of Mannar region (down south) after the seizure of a LTTE boat (packed with explosives and later blown up in mid-sea) recently. But now we have increased the number of marine commandos in the region,” said the Commodore. He said the strength of the commandos had also been doubled at the Forward Observation Post at Sangam Point at Arichalmunai, closest to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka, and communications established.Besides the two ships (Naval and Coast Guard) fitted with machine guns that patrol the seas in the region throughout the year, several interceptor crafts and speed boats have been deployed. Naval personnel have been given medium machine guns and night-vision binoculars. The Naval air station at Uchipuli, about 45 km from Rameswaram, is conducting regular sorties.Meanwhile, at Uchipuli, which is close to Sundaramudayan village, police seized 1950 detonators hidden in a coconut grove. Ramanathapuram Superintendent of Police R Thirugnanam said while no arrests had been made so far, investigations were on to find out if the detonators were meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka for LTTE use.The seizure is just one among many such in Tamil Nadu, in which materials, including aluminium ingots used in making landmines and cycle ball-bearings used in explosives, have been seized.
