New Delhi, 01 January (Asiantribune.com): While the political situation in Tamil Nadu remains dicey and a by-election has become a battleground where the ethnic Tamil issue has many ready takers, the LTTE suffered a setback with the police arresting a person smuggling communication equipment to the Tigers. The arrested person, identified as Dileepan (30) is a Sri Lankan national, according to the police, who nabbed him in a joint operation with the intelligence agencies on Tuesday night.

Dileepan was carrying three satellite phones with him at the time of his arrest. This is the second arrest in as many days that may finally lead the police to busting the LTTE smuggling racket fully. Sunday arrest of Antony (32) yielded satellite phones, GPS equipment and ammonium nitrate.

In the recent months LTTE shifted most of its India centric operations to the Malabar in Kerala, where it is utilizing the local expertise in boat making as well. The shift was forced by increased vigil at the usual haunts of Tigers like Rameswaram, Kanyakumari, and Mandapam.

Police have not given out much information either about Dileepan or Antony. It is said that Dileepan had come to Chennai to handover the satellite phones to a LTTE contact. He migrated to India recently from Switzerland where he had worked in a bakery.