Rameswaram, Sept 23: The rocket launcher seized from a shop of a Dravidar Kazhagam functionary here yesterday, had been smuggled into India by a couple of militants from Sri Lanka, according to an official of the coastal area protection force. The militants, who brought the 4.5 ft rocket launcher along with ammunition in a boat, had escaped as soon as the news about the seizure of the weapons spread, the official told a news agency on condition of anonymity.
A massive hunt had been launched to arrest the militants and seize the boat which brought them to India.
He also said the arrival of the local police alerted the militants who escaped. They had actually brought the two consignments -- one was drugs including morphine, brown sugar and ammunition for ak-47 rifle marked "kms" and the second was a rocket launcher and a round of ammunition for it.

He said while the first consignment had been left at the hardware shop of the Dravidar Kazhagam functionary, the second consignment had been shifted to a lorry service office from the hardware shop, which was seized only at the lorry office.
The police has now arrested five persons including the hardware shop owner, a tri-cycle operator, two employees of the shop and a head-loadman, who had unloaded the consignment at the lorry booking office from the tri-cycle.

Bureau Report