Sri Lankan national held in Kerala capital without travel documents
Thiruvananthapuram: A 30-year-old Sri Lankan national, who did not have valid travel documents, has been taken into custody, police said here on Sunday.
The man, who identified himself as Maluge Juth Selfon Dias, was held from Thampanoor bus terminal in the heart of the city last night, police said.
He told investigators that his bag, carrying passport, visa and other documents, had been stolen during the journey.
However, he did not give any clear answer as to how he had reached the southern state.
"We have informed all investigating agencies about his custody. Now, Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials are interrogating him. Based on the IB report, we will take further action. No case has been registered so far," a police official told PTI.
The man claimed that he had reached Kerala on February 20, the official added.
The custody of the Lankan man assumes significance in the wake of reports about the alleged visit of perpetrators of the recent blasts that had rocked the island nation on Easter day.
The Sri Lanka Army's chief had said in a recent interview that some of the suicide bombers, who carried out the country's worst terror attack on Easter Sunday, visited Kashmir and Kerala for "some sorts of training" or to "make some more links" with other foreign outfits.
Nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on April 21, killing 253 people and injuring over 500.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
