SLN arrests Trinco refugees in Mannar Sea

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 17:56 GMT]
Eighteen Tamil refugees from Trincomalee, including women and children who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy, Saturday night, in Mannar sea when fleeing in two boats to South India were produced before Mannar Additional Magistrate Mr.D.J.Pirapaharan, Monday afternoon by Talaimannar Police, legal sources said.

The refugees are residents of Thirukadaloor and Nilaveli in Trincomalee district.

They told court that they were proceeding to South India to seek refuge due to escalating violence, legal sources said.

The court instructed the local authorities to send them back to their villages in Trincomalee and ordered the release of two boatmen on surety bail of 250,000 rupees each, the sources said.

The court further ordered the confiscation of the boats and outboard motor engines used for transporting these refugees, according to the sources.