The 'Q' branch police team led by Madurai city Inspector R Venkateshan also seized 5,000 detonators meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka for the LTTE and the 'hawala' money of Rs 150,000 given to Murugapandi by the militant outfit to purchase detonators.

Based on a tip-off, 'Q' branch officers monitored the movement of passengers in Madurai Railway junction on January 8. Around 1 p.m., the police arrested Sivakrishnan alias Nanthan of Vettuvangeni, Chennai and seized 5,000 detonators from him.

They also arrested S Muthuramalingam (30) of Potham puli, Kamudhi, who accompanied Sivakrishnan. During interrogation, Sivakrishnan, who had returned to Chennai from Sri Lanka, admitted to his involvement in the smuggling of 5,000 detonators on January 3 at the behest of Rogan of Mannar.

He had come to Madurai to hand over another 5,000 detonators to Murugapandi through Muthuramalingam. Police rushed to Ramanathapuram and arrested K Murugapandi along with an autodriver R. Raja (31), boat driver Bhoo Murugan (21), Chandra (25) and Senthil Murugan (27) from Ponthampalli in the district.

Raja, Bhoo Murugan, Chandra and Senthil Murugan had assisted Murugapandi in transporting the detonators.

During interrogation, Shiva Krishnan reportedly told police that he had already sent 50,000 detonators to Mannar in Sri Lanka through another person named Murugapandi (27), hailing from Ramanathapuram on January 3.

All seven persons were remanded to judicial custody by a court yesterday.

The arrests followed the detention in Mangalore of three men who raised funds for the LTTE through fake credit cards.

Meanwhile, Chennai Police have introduced a hotline (100) for reporting suspicious activities.

If any resident suspects a neighbour of indulging in illegal activities, all he has to do is pick up the phone and call 100.

And the police will swoop down, they will check the neighbour's house, question him or her and then watch the house to ensure these so-called illegal activities don't continue.

"There has been an increase in naxal activities and LTTE cadres in the state. But the police should ask people renting out houses to inform them about who is living in that house and if possible give a copy of the lease agreement to the police.

That's all the public can be asked to do to co-operate," says a resident, S Ganesan.

The Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department on Wednesday warned fishermen against crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) following reports of battle between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan navy in mid-sea, officials said.

Fishermen who crossed the IMBL would be dealt with severely and their boats seized, Fisheries Commissioner Shambu Kaleluker said.

The Coast Guard in Kollam refuted reports that unidentified ships were dumping arms along the Kerala Coast, adding that the west coast faced no "serious threat" from militant outfits including the LTTE.

"The country's western coast is not facing any serious threat from militant outfits, including the LTTE. Reports that unidentified vessels were making trips to the area to dump arms were not correct," said Coast Guard Western Regional Commandant A Rajasekhar.

He was speaking to the media aboard the Coast Guard ship 'Savitribhai Bhule.'