6 Sri Lankan Tamils land near Dhanushkodi seeking asylum

MADURAI: Six Sri Lankan refugees landed near Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram on Wednesday. They migrated illegally by a boat from the economic crisis stricken Sri Lanka, seeking asylum in Tamil Nadu, sources said. Superintendent of Police P Thangadurai, after making formal inquiries, said they are from two families and left Talaimannar, Sri Lanka by a fibre boat. The refugees, who arrived, are R Uthayakumar (49) of Palaiya Ithavil, Kilinochi district, Sri Lanka, his wife Roja (38), his daughter –Vidhusha (12) and sons – Dhanusan (10) and Girishan (7). The other one was identified as P Newton Nimalrajan (47), Nagakuli, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, the SP said. Sources said the refugees paid Rs 3 lakh to the boat owner to reach Tamil Nadu safely.