RAMANATHAPURAM: Two elderly Sri Lankan Tamils arrived in India seeking refuge on Monday. Investigation revealed that both the SL Tamils had been inmates in TN camps back in the 90s. After an investigation, they were lodged at Mandapam camp.
On information about two elderly people waiting in Arichal Munai, a team of marine police rushed to the venue and took them into custody. The duo was identified as Nesaperumal (62) of the Mannar region of SL and Raviyaththul Athaviya (64) of Malwana.
Further investigation revealed that after facing a hard time in the island nation due to inflation, both paid whatever money was left with them to get illegally ferried to India. They started their journey from the Mannar region on Sunday night and were dropped off on the shores of Arichalmunai near Dhanushkodi in the wee hours of Monday.
After an inquiry, police sources said both the SL Tamils used to be inmates of refugee camps in Tamil Nadu who arrived here in the late 90s. "Both of them had gone back to Sri Lanka later. However, due to the rising inflation and the hardships that ensued, they decided to come back to India to be with their family who are inmates at Salem and Mandapam refugee camps.
They were lodged at Mandapam camp after inquiry. With this, the total number of SL Tamils who have arrived in India since March 2022 due to the economic crisis, has increased to 274.