Two Lankans nabbed in Chennai airport

Airport police arrested two Sri Lankan nationals at the Chennai International Airport when they attempted to board a Qatar Airlines flight, carrying fake passports and visas, Indian Media reported today.

The duo were identified as R Damodaran (35) and K Manoharan (36), who had come to Chennai as refugees and were illegally staying in Madipakkam and Pozhichalur areas in the city suburbs for the past ten years, police said.

Damodaran, who was working in a vegetable shop at Koyambedu and Manoharan, a plumber in Pozhichalur area, had bought tickets to travel to Switzerland and France.

They approached an agent in Tiruchirapalli and obtained fake Indian passports as the agent said they would not get passport and visa if they were identified as Sri Lankan nationals.

The agent had received 200,000 Indian rupees each from the Lankans and provided them fake Indian passport, giving a false address that they hailed from Ramanathapuram, reports UNI.

They tried to board a Qatar Airlines flight this morning when the airport police closed in on them. They were handed over to Crime Branch police for further questioning, police added.