PHOTO: Dilapidated houses at the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camp at Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore District.

Indian police have arrested 23 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from different parts of Tamil Nadu for allegedly trying to flee to Sri Lankain the early hours of Thursday.

 

 

According to police sources, Sahaya Dhasan of Thoothur village in Kanyakumari district and some fishermen in a mechanised boat spotted the stranded Sri Lankan Tamil refugees mid sea as the boat carrying the refugees developed a technical snag.

 

 

The fishermen alerted the police and the refugees were brought to the shore along with the boat and later detained at Nithravilai police station.

 

 

The Superintendent of Police Rajendaran, marine police personnel and the ‘Q’ branch police from the district were conducting an enquiry.

 

 

Names of the arrested

 

 

The names of the arrested persons were Arunagiri Nathan (32) of Bhavani Sagar, Jeya Nathan (30) of Tindivanam, Uma Chandran (23) of Sivakasi, Joesph Pradeep (29) of Bhavani Sagar, Yoga Dhas (25) of Sivakasi, Anistron (23) of Bhavani Sagar, Dhilosan (27) of Bhavani Sagar, Ramesh (25) of Tiruchi, Raja (29) of Madurai, Jeyachandran (29) of Madurai, Inba Rooban (24) of Tindivanam, Gracy (22) of Dharmapuri, Murugaiha (40) of Chennai, Ravi (40) of Thiruvarur, Jeganathan (33) of Karur, Sharmilin (25) of Sivaganga, Louis Lawrence (32) of Chennai, Kanakaraj (22) of Tirunelveli, Immanuvel Jeya Kumar (35) of Chennai, Sangeswaran (21) of Bhavani Sagar, Pradeeban (23) of Chennai, Nickson (28) of Chennai and Packiyaraj (27) of Vedan Colony camp at Chennai.

 

 

The officials came to know that a sum of Rs.5,000 was collected from these Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to drop them at Sri Lankaborder. Moreover one person was reported missing from the boat.

 

 

The police had registered a case and were further investigating.

The Hindu