Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Kerala were put on high alert on Friday following an intelligence input that six Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists had settled in Coimbatore, PTI reported. The terrorists were suspected to have entered Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, via sea.

The Tamil Nadu Police have circulated among the force a photo of a potential suspect, The Hindu reported. They have tightened security across the state, at airports, railway stations, bus stops and places of worship.

In Kerala, the public has been asked to share information on the nationwide emergency number 112 if they notice suspicious circumstances or objects. An extensive control room has been set up in Thiruvananthapuram district to deal with calls on 112. Officials have also tightened security checks especially along coastal areas, reports said.

One of the six infiltrators is allegedly from Pakistan and the others are Tamil Muslims from Sri Lanka. Officials are reportedly extra vigilant in Chennai and Coimbatore.

“There is no need for panic, Everything is under control,” Coimbatore Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan told NDTV, adding that the Army and the Air Force had also been alerted.

The National Investigation Agency has in the past few months arrested several people in the state for alleged links to a terror module.

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