A Sri Lankan national was arrested on Friday in Madurai while trying to fly to Sri Lanka using an Indian passport, which he managed to get by forging documents, Times of India said.

Immigration officials, who had suspicions about him, handed him over to the police. Inquiries revealed that the man had stayed in Karnataka for several years. He was arrested the first time he tried to fly using the passport. Based on a complaint from immigration officials, a case was registered under Passport Act and Foreigner Act.

The man was identified as Sreedhaya, 38, son of Ammasi, who had been residing in Sullia Taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka state. He is a Sri Lankan Tamil. His sister Kamalavathi works there in a rubber farm. He came to India in 2008 to live with his sister, after his parents passed away. On Thursday, he was trying to go to Sri Lanka on a Mihin Lanka flight scheduled at 1.45pm.

Police said he was stopped by an immigration team after they became suspicious about him. When the officials asked a few questions, he spoke in Sri Lankan Tamil dialect. His passport was checked. It was an original Indian passport. When he was grilled, he revealed the truth. He had married an Indian relative in Karnataka. He was taken to Perungudi police station, where a case was registered based on a complaint from immigration inspector Victor at Madurai airport.

He had travelled by road to Karur in Tamil Nadu, where he stayed with a relative. He decided to visit Sri Lanka for a few days. A police officer from Perungudi said "This is the first time he used the fake passport," he said.