Thiruvananthapuram: Preliminary inquiries have indicated that the supsected Hizbul Mujahideen activist arrested from Kumali in Kerala's Idukki district had terrorist links, according to state Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The information gathered by the state police from Jammu and Kashmir authorities showed that Altaf Ahamad Khan, arrested last night, was wanted in connection with several cases relating to terrorist activities, Balakrishnan told a press meet here.

Altaf had been staying in the tourist town for about five years and was suspected to have made trips to Jammu and Kashmir during this period. The police has also recovered an identity card in which his name was written as Muhammad Ahammad Butt.

In view of the development, police has been asked to step up vigil across the state with special focus on tourist centres and work sites that engage migrant labourers in large numbers, he said.

He said there had been intelligence reports that terrorists were making Kerala as a hiding place, making use of the tourism boom in the state. A top People's War Group (PWG) leader was also arrested from Ernakulam district recently.

To tackle the menace, the intelligence wing of the state police has stepped up interaction and sharing of information with its counterparts in other states.

Source : PTI