Navy chief denies Indian military role in Sri Lanka

RAMESHWARAM - Chief of Naval Staff Suresh Mehta Friday denied that India was aiding Sri Lanka in its war against the Tamil Tigers.

‘All such allegations are baseless,’ Mehta told reporters here.

‘Our heightened concerns about coastal security have necessitated greater cooperation with the (Tamil Nadu) Police and this has no international angle at all,’ Mehta said.

Supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Tamil Nadu have accused India of covertly providing military assistance to Sri Lanka to overcome the guerrillas.