Three Sri Lankan nationals, who fled the island nation, which is facing a severe economic crisis, were booked under various sections of the Indian Passport Rule and the Foreigners Act and remanded in custody following a Rameshwaram court order.
Tamils who have no way to survive due to the shortage of food, high inflation following the economic crisis in Sri Lanka are preparing to leave the island nation and enter India as refugees.
In this situation, the first group of six Sri Lankan Tamils, including three children from Kokkupidiyan and Mannar, next to the Sri Lankan Chilawathurai, came in a mysterious boat from Pesalai and got stuck in a sand dune islet near Dhanushkodi. They were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday morning.
Indian Coast Guard apprehended them as they were trying to migrate illegally from Sri Lanka to India through a boat.
The second group of 10 Sri Lankan Tamils arrived at the bridge near Dhanushkodi in a private plastic boat from Vavuniya last night. A group of two men including three women, 5 children were taken to the Marine Police Station by the Dhanushkodi Coastal security wing Police.
They were interrogated by the Immigration Department, Intelligence, Indian Coast Guard and Q-Branch police.
The first group of refugees were Gajendran (24) from Mannar, his wife Mary Clarin (23) and their four-month-old baby Nishant; and Theory (28) and her two children Esther (9) and Moses (6) from the Kokkupidiyan.
They underwent a medical examination and corona test at Rameswaram Government Hospital and were produced before the District Licensing and Criminal Arbitration Court at Rameswaram. Of the six, two of Theori's children, Esther and Moses, were handed over to Theori's mother in the Gudiyatham refugee camp. Following his wife's request to keep Gajendran's 4-month-old baby with him.
Domnic Ravi, the advocate on behalf of Sri Lankan Tamils, said, "It is totally unfair at the part of people who have come from Sri Lanka. We have requested to report instead of booking cases against them. They could be sent to various refugee camps in the state. They have come here to escape the great economical crisis in Sri Lanka and therefore, have done this with no other option to sustain life."
( With inputs from ANI )
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