Security has been beefed up at the Cuddalore Central Prison following intelligence inputs that the IS is planning to launch an attack and free an inmate arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
According to the police, Ansar Meeran was arrested by NIA sleuths in February this year on charges of mobilising funds and facilitating the travel of a few persons to Syria and Iraq.
Meeran, who was lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison, was shifted to the Cuddalore Central Prison in July following a clash between two groups of prisoners at Puzhal.
The police said that the NIA had received inputs that the ISIS had planned to launch an attack on the Cuddalore Central Prison and free Meeran. This prompted the NIA to alert the Tamil Nadu Intelligence wing, which in turn alerted the senior officials of the Prisons Department.
Following this, a team led by Shanmugasundaram, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Prisons), Tiruchi, strengthened vigil inside the prison to prevent any untoward incident.
A huge posse of policemen has been deployed inside the prison while armed police personnel led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Taj Lamech have been posted outside the prison. The police have also intensified frisking of visitors and checking of vehicles in the district.