RAMESWARAM: Fresh alert has been sounded along the Rameswaram coast following repeated air attacks by Tamileelam Air Force, an air wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealem, on various vital installations in Sri Lanka.

Though Defence sources maintained that there was no threat from the Sri Lankan side, all personnel of naval detachments at Rameswaram, Thondi and others were alerted.

Round-the-clock vigil has been ordered.

Marine commandos and naval personnel, who were posted at Forward Observation Point at Arichamunai, have been asked to keep a close watch on refugees landing at Dhanushkodi.

Sea patrolling

Sea patrolling has been intensified along the International Maritime Boundary Line in Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar. Ships, fast attack crafts and boats of Navy and Coast Guard have been positioned at important locations.

"Our men and materials are at strategic locations. They are all on high alert," Commander S. Mukherji, Area Commander, South told The Hindu on Tuesday.

`Q' branch CID and police subjected to a thorough check 17 Sri Lankan refugees who landed at two separate landing points.

While six refugees landed at the Pudumadam seashore near Uchipuli, a group of 11 refugees reached at Seeniappa Dharha near Mandapam.

Close watch

Interrogation revealed that they were from Vavuniya in Sri Lanka. Indian Air Force personnel, who are camping at Seeniappa Dharha for manning the mobile radar system, have also been instructed to keep a close watch.

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