Chennai, Jul 28 (IANS): After three people were arrested from Salem, Erode districts of Tamil Nadu for having terror links, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to make arrests in connection with it.

A police team comprising NIA officials, police from Tamil Nadu, and the elite 'Q' branch of the Tamil Nadu police arrested a person, Abdul Alim Mulla who is reportedly on the payrolls of a terror outfit. A team of Bengaluru police officers was present during the interrogation and arrest of Abdul Alim Mulla.

The arrest and questioning of Mulla led to the police teams from Karnataka. NIA and sleuths from the Salem police conducted a search in some places of Erode and took into custody two persons from West Bengal.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu police told IANS that there could be more arrests and this would be based on the statements given by those in custody.

The recent killing of a BJP youth leader at Sullya in Mangaluru in Karnataka has alerted the NIA and the local police forces to the possibility of any unrest in certain pockets of Tamil Nadu.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu police told IANS that the 'Q' branch police and anti-terror police in the state are on high alert after the murder and unrest in Karnataka, Kerala border. With the arrest of three persons from Salem and Erode, the agencies have upped their ante and, according to sources, are conducting checking of telephone data of several people in the area.