Did Sri Lankan refugees enter TN on inflatable kayak?

This led to senior officials from various law enforcement agencies visiting the area and investigating what they suspect as an ‘illegal foreign entry’.
Police inspect the kayak near Kodiyakarai in Nagapattinam on Sunday | Express
Police inspect the kayak near Kodiyakarai in Nagapattinam on Sunday | Express

NAGAPATTINAM: An inflatable kayak shored up near the lighthouse at Kodiyakarai in the early hours of Monday morning. This led to senior officials from various law enforcement agencies visiting the area and investigating what they suspect as an ‘illegal foreign entry’.

The vessel is the ‘ITIWIT’ made by Decathlon, and it can accommodate two persons at a time, sources said. Orange in colour, the one spotted in Kodiyakarai measured 3.8 metres in length and is 3.5-metre wide. A scuba diving kit, a travel bag, a waterproof bag to fold and pack the kayak, whistles, life jackets, an air pump, a 2.2 metre-long paddle, and a pair of socks were recovered.

More intriguingly, the kayak contained Sri Lankan-made ‘KNUCKLES’ water bottles, which raised the suspicion of an illegal entry. This comes in the wake of an influx of Sri Lankan nationals, fleeing the island nation which is reeling under economic crisis, at Ramanathapuram over the past few months.

Senior police officials, including Thanjavur Range DIG A Kayalvizhi, Nagapattinam SP G Jawahar and Tiruvarur SP TP Suresh Kumar, inspected the vessel at the spot. Navy and Coastal Security Group (CSG) officials alongside those from the revenue and forest department, too, inspected the kayak. The sniffer dog which assisted the investigation led the team to a nearby reserved forest area, sources said. A case has been registered at Vedaranyam Marine Police Station. Further probe is on.

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