Sri Lankan Police Conduct Security Sweep on Flight From Chennai Amid Terror Suspect Alert

Sri Lankan authorities conducted a security search on a flight from Chennai arriving in Colombo, suspecting a link to the Pahalgam terror attack. Despite a thorough inspection, no arrests were made. The incident arises from ongoing tensions and cross-border linkages following the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sri Lankan police conducted a thorough security check on a flight arriving from Chennai, after being informed about a potential suspect linked to the Pahalgam terror attack aboard the aircraft, authorities stated on Saturday.

An official statement from SriLankan Airlines revealed that the flight reached Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport at 11:59 am, followed by an extensive security inspection triggered by an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre. The search was executed alongside local law enforcement. While the aircraft resumed operations post-inspection, the succeeding service to Singapore faced a delay.

According to Senior Superintendent Buddhika Manatunga, no arrests ensued after the inspection at the airport. This is amidst the aftermath of the tragic April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, where 26 people notably tourists, perished. Following the incident, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged severe repercussions for those behind the attack, emphasizing the extensive planning and cross-border involvement.

(With inputs from agencies.)