7 more Lankan refugees land near Dhanushkodi seeking asylum

MADURAI: Seven Sri Lankan refugees landed near Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district on Tuesday seeking asylum here.

The fresh batch of refugees belong to two families from Jaffna and Trincomalee. They had fled the crisis-hit island nation and took an illegal ferry from Mannar in Sri Lanka around 3 am and landed near Dhanushkodi early on Tuesday, sources said.

Based on information that some Sri Lankan Tamils have landed at the fifth islet near Dhanushkodi, an Indian Coast Guard Hovercraft went to the spot and brought them to Arichalmunai from where they were sent to Mandapam marine police station for inquiry, Superintendent of Police P Thangadurai said.

The refugees were identified as Marry Agasta (44), Navarkuzhi, Jaffna, Sri Lanka and her sons Nisharkhan Akash (16), Kevin (12), G Magesan (39), Moonamkattai, Aanthapuri, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, his wife Devi (38) and sons - Dinash (10) and Hamusan (6).

Inspector of Police S Kanagaraj, Coastal Security Group, said both the families had earlier lived in refugee camps here. He said Mary Agasta wanted to bring her ailing husband Newton Nimal Rajan back to TN.