Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
2 Aug 2010
Concerned over the pros and cons of the social media, many leading IT firms are either prescribing a social media policy to its employees or imposing a blanket ban on the use of social media networks during work hours.
If leakage of vital information from the company’s network is one of the prime concerns of the employers in their employees using social media, social media has its own advantages like promoting the company through the cyber media.
While UST Global, a leading IT firm that has its branch at the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark, has already rolled out a social media policy, Infosys, which also has its presence here, is in the process of developing a policy on social media.
Experts in the IT sector point out that more than 96 percent of the IT companies in the country have imposed a blanket ban on the use of social media during working hours. Global IT giants like Microsoft and Intel have already brought out a social media policy for their employees.
IBS Software services and Toonz Animations, two leading Technopark-based firms, are among the firms which have banned the use of social media at the workplace.
According to Toonz Animation India Chief Executive Officer P Jayakumar, the firm is following a selective social media policy. “Majority of our employees are restricted from accessing internet from their work stations due to security and confidentiality requirements. For selected trade areas like Marketing, Corporate Communications and Concept Development, social websites like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter etc are essential tools and hence we do not put restriction on their use,’’ he said.
At IBS, though social media networks are banned on the office network, kiosks are provided on the office premises so that the employees can access internet. The employees, however, will have to impose self-restrictions on sharing vital information regarding the company on social media, an IBS spokesperson said.
UST Global brought out its social media policy last year. “All our employees are required to follow the policy guidelines mandatorily so as to ensure that confidential or proprietary information is not passed on to the external world through social media, ’’ said Alexander Varghese, Country Head of UST Global.
The community managers within the organisation are responsible for monitoring whether the policies are followed by everyone. ‘‘Access to the social media sites from the corporate network is provided only after a thorough evaluation by our Information Security team,’’ he said.
UST Global, however, promotes its own exclusive social networking site, which is deployed in the corporate network for the employees to interact and exchange ideas, Alexander said.
Infosys is in the process of collecting employees’ feedback on the proposed policy. “Based on the feedback, our policy council takes its decision on a policy and its implementation. This will happen next month, post which the policy will be announced. The policy is aimed at creating awareness on responsible social media activity, keeping in mind client confidentiality, company intellectual property and the Infosys code of conduct,’’ said an Infosys spokesperson.
Meanwhile, techies feel that a total ban on the use of social media is an encroachment on their freedom of expression. “Social media is a forum where we techies can exchange our ideas. Hence, imposing a total ban is not advisable. However, some sort of guidelines on sharing company information cannot be blamed from the point of view of an employer,’’ said an IT professional at a leading Technopark firm who did not want to be identified.
Moreover, nowadays, the techies least depend on office networks to access social media sites as most of the modern mobile phones offer such facilities.
arjun_raghunath@expressbuzz.com
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Application forms to go digital
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
1 Aug 2010
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: All application forms of various Departments of the State Government will go digital with the implementation of e-forms as part of the State Portal Scheme of the National e-Governance plan.
Steps to publish the Request-For-Proposal (RFP) for implementation of the project in one year and maintenance for three years is being finalised by the Kerala State IT Mission.
Quotations would be accepted from a panel of major IT companies prepared by the Centre which includes Wipro, Infosys, Accenture and HP.
In the initial phase, 13 Departments would be covered under the project.
The Departments identified for the initial phase are General Education, Registration, Ports and Harbours, LSGD-Urban, LSGD-Rural, Employment and Training, Kerala Lok Ayukta, Motor Vehicles, Kerala Water Authority, Kerala State Electricity Board, Vocational Higher Secondary Education, Rural Development and Fisheries.
The main objective of the project is to provide Government services to the citizen through the State Government portal as well as to promote e-governance among the citizens, IT Department sources said.
With the implementation of e-forms, various Government-related application forms could be filled in and submitted online so that there would not be any need for hard copies.
An electronic receipt would also be issued through the portal. There would be provision to track the status of applications and requests.
Though the Government application forms are now available online, it needs to be downloaded and submitted in hard-copy format. The main feature of e-forms is that it could be filled even off-line.
Besides easing the submission of applications, the e-form system would also help speed up the process.
The major advantages of the State Portal Scheme are that Government information could be accessed anywhere, anytime that too at the customers desktop as well reducing administrative burden and cost effectiveness. The services would be accessible to individual users via internet through personal computers or common service centres such as Akshaya Centres or even through mobile phones.
The portal would be bilingual - Malayalam and English.
Sources said that the draft of the request for quotations is being vetted by a committee headed by the IT Secretary and it would be published as soon as the committee approval is received. Ernst and Young has been appointed as the consultant.
The New Indian Express
1 Aug 2010
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: All application forms of various Departments of the State Government will go digital with the implementation of e-forms as part of the State Portal Scheme of the National e-Governance plan.
Steps to publish the Request-For-Proposal (RFP) for implementation of the project in one year and maintenance for three years is being finalised by the Kerala State IT Mission.
Quotations would be accepted from a panel of major IT companies prepared by the Centre which includes Wipro, Infosys, Accenture and HP.
In the initial phase, 13 Departments would be covered under the project.
The Departments identified for the initial phase are General Education, Registration, Ports and Harbours, LSGD-Urban, LSGD-Rural, Employment and Training, Kerala Lok Ayukta, Motor Vehicles, Kerala Water Authority, Kerala State Electricity Board, Vocational Higher Secondary Education, Rural Development and Fisheries.
The main objective of the project is to provide Government services to the citizen through the State Government portal as well as to promote e-governance among the citizens, IT Department sources said.
With the implementation of e-forms, various Government-related application forms could be filled in and submitted online so that there would not be any need for hard copies.
An electronic receipt would also be issued through the portal. There would be provision to track the status of applications and requests.
Though the Government application forms are now available online, it needs to be downloaded and submitted in hard-copy format. The main feature of e-forms is that it could be filled even off-line.
Besides easing the submission of applications, the e-form system would also help speed up the process.
The major advantages of the State Portal Scheme are that Government information could be accessed anywhere, anytime that too at the customers desktop as well reducing administrative burden and cost effectiveness. The services would be accessible to individual users via internet through personal computers or common service centres such as Akshaya Centres or even through mobile phones.
The portal would be bilingual - Malayalam and English.
Sources said that the draft of the request for quotations is being vetted by a committee headed by the IT Secretary and it would be published as soon as the committee approval is received. Ernst and Young has been appointed as the consultant.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
He built his career, life here
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
There may be scores of techies having a professional attachment with Technopark by working at the campus since its inception. But, for Syed Ibrahim, it’s not only a professional but a personal attachment as well, as it has not only made him an employer from an employee, but also found a life partner for him.
Syed, a graduate in German language, started his career in Technopark as a translator with Ada Software in 1995, the year in which Technopark was commissioned.
Syed, who did his post-graduation in Germany, subsequently switched to IVL, a German company, as project coordinator in 1996.
In the meantime, he found his life partner Sheena, who was then working with another firm in Technopark - Data Entry International.
‘‘In the initial years of Technopark, there were only a few companies and the total number of members was also around 500. Hence, all of us knew each other. But now the number of employees in the Technopark campus has increased manifold and hence there are no strong personal relations between the employees of various firms,’’ says Syed, a native of Kozhikode.
In 1998, Syed, along with one of his friends, started Palnar Transmedia. Started with two employees in 150 square feet of space, Palnar now has 42 professionals working from 4,000-square feet in Technopark, besides having branches in Germany and the US.
‘‘We attribute our success to the sincere support by the Technopark officials by providing adequate space and other assistance at our budding stage,’’ says Syed, who is also the honorary president of the German Centre in the city, Goethe-Zentrum.
There is a wrong perception about Kerala abroad which is indeed hindering investors to the State to certain extent. But from my experience I feel that those perceptions are totally baseless, Syed adds.
arjun_raghunath@expressbuzz.com
The New Indian Express
There may be scores of techies having a professional attachment with Technopark by working at the campus since its inception. But, for Syed Ibrahim, it’s not only a professional but a personal attachment as well, as it has not only made him an employer from an employee, but also found a life partner for him.
Syed, a graduate in German language, started his career in Technopark as a translator with Ada Software in 1995, the year in which Technopark was commissioned.
Syed, who did his post-graduation in Germany, subsequently switched to IVL, a German company, as project coordinator in 1996.
In the meantime, he found his life partner Sheena, who was then working with another firm in Technopark - Data Entry International.
‘‘In the initial years of Technopark, there were only a few companies and the total number of members was also around 500. Hence, all of us knew each other. But now the number of employees in the Technopark campus has increased manifold and hence there are no strong personal relations between the employees of various firms,’’ says Syed, a native of Kozhikode.
In 1998, Syed, along with one of his friends, started Palnar Transmedia. Started with two employees in 150 square feet of space, Palnar now has 42 professionals working from 4,000-square feet in Technopark, besides having branches in Germany and the US.
‘‘We attribute our success to the sincere support by the Technopark officials by providing adequate space and other assistance at our budding stage,’’ says Syed, who is also the honorary president of the German Centre in the city, Goethe-Zentrum.
There is a wrong perception about Kerala abroad which is indeed hindering investors to the State to certain extent. But from my experience I feel that those perceptions are totally baseless, Syed adds.
arjun_raghunath@expressbuzz.com
The three pillars of Technopark
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
Two decades after the idea was conceived, there are three keywords behind the smooth and steady growth of the country’s first IT Park: MV, KCC and KR. Right from initial paper works to the development of the park to the present status, no development would have taken place in Technopark without these three abbreviations.
Technopark’s Senior Business Development Manager M Vasudevan, Chief Finance Officer K C Chandrasekharan Nair and Deputy General Manager K Ramachandran, who are known in the Technopark campus as MV, KCC and KR respectively, have been playing a key role in the development of the Technopark right from its conception in July, 1990. The three were part of a team handpicked by Technopark’s founder chairman K P P Nambiar from Keltron. ‘‘It’s not just an anniversary of an organisation, for us it feels like the birthday of our child,’’ say the three.
‘‘In the initial days, all those who were associated with the project had performed multi-tasks. It was just like building our home, each one performing all duties,’’ recalls Vasudevan, as his colleagues KCC and KR nod, during a brief chat with Expresso on the 20th anniversary of Technopark’s conceptualisation in July, 1990.
‘‘We had adopted the format of the Centre for Development of Telematics for developing Technopark. Now the Technopark development model is being adopted for the development of other IT parks,’’ they add. The three officials have been playing the role of a single-window counter at the Technopark. Vasudevan is entrusted with the task of marketing the facilities at the Technopark, inviting new firms and providing necessary assistance to the prospective investors to set up their units.
‘‘Started with around five companies offering around 500 jobs, Technopark now houses about 185 companies that provide 28,000 jobs. This is indeed the result of our team work,’’ says Vasudevan.
KCC, who handles the finance and Incubation Centre, is also quite contented that out of the 45 companies incubated by the Centre, 39 have scripted success - a near-90 percent success rate. ‘‘Initially, we had to run from pillar to post to get government assistance for setting up the Technopark,’’ says Chandrasekharan.
Being the one in charge of HR, Ramachandran has been playing a key role in providing necessary manpower to the Technopark companies, besides other facilities in the campus. ‘‘Parking of vehicles is one of the biggest challenges before us these days. We hope to sort it out with the installation of a multi-level parking system. A prototype of a three-level fully-automated parking facility that could accommodate up to 27 vehicles would be introduced soon. The system, incidentally, was developed by a Technopark-incubated firm,’’ says KR.
The three are grateful to the facilitating role played by the government. ‘‘Here, at Technopark, we enjoy a free hand in management. We have also knocked down hierarchies in this office,’’ they say.
arjun_raghunath@expressbuzz.com
The New Indian Express
Two decades after the idea was conceived, there are three keywords behind the smooth and steady growth of the country’s first IT Park: MV, KCC and KR. Right from initial paper works to the development of the park to the present status, no development would have taken place in Technopark without these three abbreviations.
Technopark’s Senior Business Development Manager M Vasudevan, Chief Finance Officer K C Chandrasekharan Nair and Deputy General Manager K Ramachandran, who are known in the Technopark campus as MV, KCC and KR respectively, have been playing a key role in the development of the Technopark right from its conception in July, 1990. The three were part of a team handpicked by Technopark’s founder chairman K P P Nambiar from Keltron. ‘‘It’s not just an anniversary of an organisation, for us it feels like the birthday of our child,’’ say the three.
‘‘In the initial days, all those who were associated with the project had performed multi-tasks. It was just like building our home, each one performing all duties,’’ recalls Vasudevan, as his colleagues KCC and KR nod, during a brief chat with Expresso on the 20th anniversary of Technopark’s conceptualisation in July, 1990.
‘‘We had adopted the format of the Centre for Development of Telematics for developing Technopark. Now the Technopark development model is being adopted for the development of other IT parks,’’ they add. The three officials have been playing the role of a single-window counter at the Technopark. Vasudevan is entrusted with the task of marketing the facilities at the Technopark, inviting new firms and providing necessary assistance to the prospective investors to set up their units.
‘‘Started with around five companies offering around 500 jobs, Technopark now houses about 185 companies that provide 28,000 jobs. This is indeed the result of our team work,’’ says Vasudevan.
KCC, who handles the finance and Incubation Centre, is also quite contented that out of the 45 companies incubated by the Centre, 39 have scripted success - a near-90 percent success rate. ‘‘Initially, we had to run from pillar to post to get government assistance for setting up the Technopark,’’ says Chandrasekharan.
Being the one in charge of HR, Ramachandran has been playing a key role in providing necessary manpower to the Technopark companies, besides other facilities in the campus. ‘‘Parking of vehicles is one of the biggest challenges before us these days. We hope to sort it out with the installation of a multi-level parking system. A prototype of a three-level fully-automated parking facility that could accommodate up to 27 vehicles would be introduced soon. The system, incidentally, was developed by a Technopark-incubated firm,’’ says KR.
The three are grateful to the facilitating role played by the government. ‘‘Here, at Technopark, we enjoy a free hand in management. We have also knocked down hierarchies in this office,’’ they say.
arjun_raghunath@expressbuzz.com
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Book on Karkare an inspiration for PFI activists
Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
21 Jul 2010
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 'Who killed Karkare? The real face of terrorism in India', the book penned by a retired IPS officer which points an accusing finger at Hindu fundamentalism for the rise in terrorist activities in India, has become a handbook for the Muslim extremist outfits, including the Popular Front of India (PFI).
Within a short span of time after its release, the book that tries to trace the 'Hinduist links' behind the death of Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemanth Karkare, has been translated into various Indian languages, including Malayalam. The Malayalam edition of the book was brought out by Thejas Publications the publication wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI).
'Karkareye Konnatharu,' the Malayalam edition that was released in February is doing brisk sales, say the publishers.
Top sources in the State Police said that the book was widely read and circulated among PFI activists in the State as well as members of other Muslim extremist outfits. ''The book does not contain any objectionable content and hence we could not interfere in it, '' a senior police officer said.
Sources also said that it was a meeting held in connection with the release of the Tamil edition of 'Who killed Karkare?' at Thuckalay in Kanyakumari district on Sunday that led to the spreading of the message about a secret meeting of PFI cadres.
Though no PFI activists were evidently present at the meeting, Intelligence sources feel that it would be the counterparts of the Kerala PFI activists in Tamil Nadu who took part in the meeting. Besides Malayalam, the book has also been translated into Urdu, Kannada, Marathi and Tamil. ''The book could be used as an effective tool to woo more youths towards Muslim extremist ideologies. The Muslim extremist outfits are even resorting to the propaganda that the community will dominate Kerala by 2040,'' said a senior police officer.
Penned by S M Mushrif, a former IG in Maharashtra and a senior officer of Karkare, the book goes through a dozen terror strikes in the nation over the past few years and attempts to trace their links with Hindu fundamentalist outfits. It accuses the Intelligence Bureau of playing a role in creating a false propaganda against the Muslim community.
While suggesting a reinvestigation into the death of the ATS chief in the Mumbai terror strike, the former IPS officer also highlights the exposure of the links of Lt. Col. Purohit and other leaders of VHP, RSS and other Sangh Parivar organisations with the Malegaon blast of 2008 by Karkare.
Mushrif also smells a rat in the alleged negligence on the part of the Intelligence Bureau in alerting the agencies concerned, including the Mumbai Police, of the Mumbai terror strike. ''Not only this one, we publish several other books that expose Hindu fundamentalism. The book 'Karkareye Konnatharu' also exposes the real face of the IB and hence it is well received," said PFI leader Nazarudeen Elamaram.
arjun.raghunath@gmail.com
The New Indian Express
21 Jul 2010
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 'Who killed Karkare? The real face of terrorism in India', the book penned by a retired IPS officer which points an accusing finger at Hindu fundamentalism for the rise in terrorist activities in India, has become a handbook for the Muslim extremist outfits, including the Popular Front of India (PFI).
Within a short span of time after its release, the book that tries to trace the 'Hinduist links' behind the death of Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemanth Karkare, has been translated into various Indian languages, including Malayalam. The Malayalam edition of the book was brought out by Thejas Publications the publication wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI).
'Karkareye Konnatharu,' the Malayalam edition that was released in February is doing brisk sales, say the publishers.
Top sources in the State Police said that the book was widely read and circulated among PFI activists in the State as well as members of other Muslim extremist outfits. ''The book does not contain any objectionable content and hence we could not interfere in it, '' a senior police officer said.
Sources also said that it was a meeting held in connection with the release of the Tamil edition of 'Who killed Karkare?' at Thuckalay in Kanyakumari district on Sunday that led to the spreading of the message about a secret meeting of PFI cadres.
Though no PFI activists were evidently present at the meeting, Intelligence sources feel that it would be the counterparts of the Kerala PFI activists in Tamil Nadu who took part in the meeting. Besides Malayalam, the book has also been translated into Urdu, Kannada, Marathi and Tamil. ''The book could be used as an effective tool to woo more youths towards Muslim extremist ideologies. The Muslim extremist outfits are even resorting to the propaganda that the community will dominate Kerala by 2040,'' said a senior police officer.
Penned by S M Mushrif, a former IG in Maharashtra and a senior officer of Karkare, the book goes through a dozen terror strikes in the nation over the past few years and attempts to trace their links with Hindu fundamentalist outfits. It accuses the Intelligence Bureau of playing a role in creating a false propaganda against the Muslim community.
While suggesting a reinvestigation into the death of the ATS chief in the Mumbai terror strike, the former IPS officer also highlights the exposure of the links of Lt. Col. Purohit and other leaders of VHP, RSS and other Sangh Parivar organisations with the Malegaon blast of 2008 by Karkare.
Mushrif also smells a rat in the alleged negligence on the part of the Intelligence Bureau in alerting the agencies concerned, including the Mumbai Police, of the Mumbai terror strike. ''Not only this one, we publish several other books that expose Hindu fundamentalism. The book 'Karkareye Konnatharu' also exposes the real face of the IB and hence it is well received," said PFI leader Nazarudeen Elamaram.
arjun.raghunath@gmail.com
Friday, 16 July 2010
Rackets making bogus job offers thriving on net
Arjun Raghunath
First Published : 16 Jul 2010 04:34:28 AM IST
Last Updated : 16 Jul 2010 09:26:19 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Exploiting the grim job scenario in the aviation sector, rackets involved in trapping candidates by promising them highly-paid jobs in the aviation sector are thriving in cyber space.
It is more alarming that these offers are made even through reputed job portals. The roots of these rackets could also be traced to the infamous Nigerian financial-fraud rackets.
‘Express’ had recently reported that the aviation training centres which have mushroomed in the state over the past few years were wooing candidates by making bogus claims about job opportunities. The job cheating in the sector by offering bogus placements is considered as an extension to it.
The modus operandi of the racket is to offer overseas jobs to candidates through some of the leading job portals. A candidate would be sent an e-mail offering the job in a reputed airline. The logo of the company would also be included in all the communications in order to instil a sense of genuineness. Once the candidate expresses his/her interest to the offer, he would be sent a questionnaire which mainly includes personal details and interests. Subsequently, a confirmation letter would be sent to the candidate offering an attractive remuneration. The candidate would be asked to remit an amount in a bank account for meeting the visa and upward journey charges.
Pintu Rajan, hailing from Kottayam who had done Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course, had recently received a similar job offer from ‘Qatar Airways in Heathrow Airport in UK’ offering a monthly after-tax remuneration of 8,630 pounds - above Rs 6 lakh, besides other attractive allowances.
On verification with the Qatar Airways officials here, it was found that the offer was a bogus one. The offer had come through a leading job portal.
“I was asked to remit Rs 64,000 for arranging UK visa and upward journey ticket. As we became suspicious, one of my relatives in the UK tried to contact over a UK telephone number which was provided along with the job offer. The call was attended by a Nigerian guy. When my relative started asking questions about the bogus offer, the telephone got disconnected and thereafter no one had responded from that number yet, ‘’ says Pintu.
When contacted by `Express’, Qatar Airways station manager in Thiruvananthapuram Jayaprakash Nair said that several such cases were coming up these days not only in the name of Qatar Airways, but in the name of many other airlines.
We had reported this matter to our headquarters. “Those who receive such offers should cross-check it with the airline concerned, ‘’ he said.
First Published : 16 Jul 2010 04:34:28 AM IST
Last Updated : 16 Jul 2010 09:26:19 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Exploiting the grim job scenario in the aviation sector, rackets involved in trapping candidates by promising them highly-paid jobs in the aviation sector are thriving in cyber space.
It is more alarming that these offers are made even through reputed job portals. The roots of these rackets could also be traced to the infamous Nigerian financial-fraud rackets.
‘Express’ had recently reported that the aviation training centres which have mushroomed in the state over the past few years were wooing candidates by making bogus claims about job opportunities. The job cheating in the sector by offering bogus placements is considered as an extension to it.
The modus operandi of the racket is to offer overseas jobs to candidates through some of the leading job portals. A candidate would be sent an e-mail offering the job in a reputed airline. The logo of the company would also be included in all the communications in order to instil a sense of genuineness. Once the candidate expresses his/her interest to the offer, he would be sent a questionnaire which mainly includes personal details and interests. Subsequently, a confirmation letter would be sent to the candidate offering an attractive remuneration. The candidate would be asked to remit an amount in a bank account for meeting the visa and upward journey charges.
Pintu Rajan, hailing from Kottayam who had done Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course, had recently received a similar job offer from ‘Qatar Airways in Heathrow Airport in UK’ offering a monthly after-tax remuneration of 8,630 pounds - above Rs 6 lakh, besides other attractive allowances.
On verification with the Qatar Airways officials here, it was found that the offer was a bogus one. The offer had come through a leading job portal.
“I was asked to remit Rs 64,000 for arranging UK visa and upward journey ticket. As we became suspicious, one of my relatives in the UK tried to contact over a UK telephone number which was provided along with the job offer. The call was attended by a Nigerian guy. When my relative started asking questions about the bogus offer, the telephone got disconnected and thereafter no one had responded from that number yet, ‘’ says Pintu.
When contacted by `Express’, Qatar Airways station manager in Thiruvananthapuram Jayaprakash Nair said that several such cases were coming up these days not only in the name of Qatar Airways, but in the name of many other airlines.
We had reported this matter to our headquarters. “Those who receive such offers should cross-check it with the airline concerned, ‘’ he said.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Key LTTE operative still absconding
Arjun Raghunath
First Published : 10 Jul 2010 04:09:47 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is Paraparan Sivam from Jaffna and not Shiva, the key operative behind the regrouping of LTTE cadre from Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts, who was held by the Kollam police with the help of Central Intelligence Bureau from Tirunelveli the other day.
Top intelligence sources told `Express' that Shiva, a native of Mullaitivu a garrison of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Colombo, is still absconding. He is suspected to be playing the key role in the regrouping of LTTE cadre. ``We are yet to get any clue regarding the whereabouts of Shiva. The arrest of Shiva would be a major breakthrough in cracking the whole network,'' the source told `Express.'
The intelligence agencies have also received a vital information from Paraparan Sivam that a group of people, including seven LTTE members, were trafficked to Australia in a boat from Kanyakumari in 2008. There is also information that Sunder Rajan, who is also a native of Jaffna and believed to be second to Shiva in the LTTE regrouping network, was held by the Tamil Nadu police about three months back on charges of human trafficking. He is still in Chennai prison. Paraparan is a close aide of Sunder Rajan.
The intelligence agencies have also received vital information that the LTTE cadre were being illegally trafficked not only to Australia, but to countries such as the UK, France and Italy. Besides setting up a safe haven for regrouping and planning further course of operations, gaining more funds for the operations is also an intention of the human trafficking to these countries, said sources.
Another person in the network, identified as Tony, who purchased the boat `Wahid' from Kozhikode, is still absconding. Sivam told interrogators that he had deposited the money for purchasing the boat in the bank. The money was routed through hawala channels. The LTTE operations from the state came to light following the detention of about 35 Tamilians in Kollam in May and the subsequent arrest of Dennis and Antony Miller who were suspected to be providing support for the human trafficking of Sri Lankans.
First Published : 10 Jul 2010 04:09:47 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is Paraparan Sivam from Jaffna and not Shiva, the key operative behind the regrouping of LTTE cadre from Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts, who was held by the Kollam police with the help of Central Intelligence Bureau from Tirunelveli the other day.
Top intelligence sources told `Express' that Shiva, a native of Mullaitivu a garrison of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Colombo, is still absconding. He is suspected to be playing the key role in the regrouping of LTTE cadre. ``We are yet to get any clue regarding the whereabouts of Shiva. The arrest of Shiva would be a major breakthrough in cracking the whole network,'' the source told `Express.'
The intelligence agencies have also received a vital information from Paraparan Sivam that a group of people, including seven LTTE members, were trafficked to Australia in a boat from Kanyakumari in 2008. There is also information that Sunder Rajan, who is also a native of Jaffna and believed to be second to Shiva in the LTTE regrouping network, was held by the Tamil Nadu police about three months back on charges of human trafficking. He is still in Chennai prison. Paraparan is a close aide of Sunder Rajan.
The intelligence agencies have also received vital information that the LTTE cadre were being illegally trafficked not only to Australia, but to countries such as the UK, France and Italy. Besides setting up a safe haven for regrouping and planning further course of operations, gaining more funds for the operations is also an intention of the human trafficking to these countries, said sources.
Another person in the network, identified as Tony, who purchased the boat `Wahid' from Kozhikode, is still absconding. Sivam told interrogators that he had deposited the money for purchasing the boat in the bank. The money was routed through hawala channels. The LTTE operations from the state came to light following the detention of about 35 Tamilians in Kollam in May and the subsequent arrest of Dennis and Antony Miller who were suspected to be providing support for the human trafficking of Sri Lankans.
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