TN Police Detain 6 Russians 'Roaming Near Kudankulam Nuclear Plant'

The police reported that fishermen from Idinthakarai village alerted them after noticing some foreigners in their village

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), located in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, is India's largest nuclear power station.

Source : ANI

Tamil Nadu Police have detained six Russian nationals and three Indians near the Kudankulam nuclear reactor plant. Among those detained are six Russians, including a woman, and three Indians—two from Tamil Nadu and one from Thiruvananthapuram. The Thiruvananthapuram native is identified as the driver of the cab transporting the Russians.

A senior police officer informed IANS that the detentions occurred on Monday evening following local reports of foreigners near the reactor premises.

The official added that the interrogation lasted nearly six hours. Police reported that fishers from Idinthakarai village alerted them after noticing some foreigners in their village, as per a report on PTI.

Sources within Tamil Nadu Police told IANS that central agencies have begun interrogating those in custody. The Kudankulam nuclear power project, located in Tirunelveli, was commissioned with Russian support. The plant currently operates two 1000 MWe reactors. Four additional reactors are planned for the site.

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), located in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, is India's largest nuclear power station. It was developed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) in partnership with the Russian company Atomstroyexport.

Initially conceived in the 1980s, the project witnessed construction from 2002. The first reactor unit was commissioned in December 2014, followed by the second unit in August 2016. However, the project has faced opposition from local communities and environmental groups due to concerns about nuclear safety, environmental impact, and displacement. Despite these protests, the Indian government asserts that the plant meets the highest safety standards and is crucial for addressing the country's energy needs.

In 2019, NPCIL confirmed the identification of malware in the internet-connected administrative network but stated that the critical internal network remained isolated. Initially, KNPP officials had dismissed reports of the cyber attack as false. The malware was later linked to the North Korea-based Lazarus Group.