MADURAI: In a crackdown launched by the Kanniyakumari District police, five trucks laden with poultry wastes that were carried from Kerala were seized at a check post near Arumanai and nine persons arrested on Wednesday night. The operation was carried out by the striking force team.
Sources said Kanagaraj (55), Dinesh Kumar (29), Ayyappan (33), Viju (29), Darshan, Shahul Hameed (63), Haral (30), Sainu (24), and Sainho (25) were arrested.
As per the directive of Superintendent of Police R. Stalin, vigil has been strengthened along areas bordering Kerala and surveillance has been increased in check posts.
The SP, when contacted, said the detained trucks bore Kerala registration numbers and those arrested seemed to be habitual offenders engaged in such acts with the aid of the agency.
Hence, the police for the first time booked a case against the agency as well. Besides, owners of the seized vehicles and drivers were also booked. Stringent action would be taken against those indulged in such acts.
The district has 16 check posts at various locations in the route from Kerala and all such check posts will come under more surveillance in the coming days.
Apart from CCTV cameras installed in some normal check posts, Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras would be installed in all check posts within a month to strengthen surveillance, the SP said.