Two persons with disabilities, their two children reach Dhanushkodi from Sri Lanka

The couple, in their statement to the police, said they had been unable to make ends meet in Sri Lanka and had paid Rs. 3.5 lakh SLR for a boat to bring them to India

On Deepavali day (Monday), four people of a family, including two children, reached Dhanuskodi islet from Sri Lanka, after having hired a vessel to bring them there, the Marine Police said on Tuesday.

Following the economic crisis in the island nation, a majority of the people there have been finding it tough to make both ends meet and hence, many are crossing over to India, some of them have confessed to the police. So far, about 185 people including children and elderly persons from different parts of Sri Lanka have reached India through the Palk Strait.

By hiring vessels, Sri Lankan Tamils have been reaching the coastal district of Ramanathapuram, since April-May. Most of the refugees have, in their confession statements to the authorities here, claimed that they have sold all their valuables back in Sri Lanka and have then come here. According to them, they have paid “hefty” sums ranging from between 1 to 4 lakh Sri Lankan rupees to boatmen to drop them in Indian waters.

When the Marine Police received a call stating that four people were stranded near Dhanushkodi islet, a team led by Sub-Inspector of Police S. Kalidas went in search of them and picked up J. Janardhanan (39), his wife Praveena (36) and their two sons, Sudarshan (9) and Sudeesan (5). Both Janardanan and Praveena are persons with disabilities. According to their statement, they had paid Rs 3.5 lakh Sri Lankan Rupees to an agent in Mannar district, who had arranged for a vessel. Two boatmen took them from Kallapaadu shore on October 23 at 8 a.m. and dropped them off at a point in the Indian waters at around 10 p.m. They were stranded on the shore and following information to the 100 emergency call centre, the Marine Police rescued them on October 24at around 7 a.m.

It is said that Janardhanan had been to India in 2006 and stayed in a refugee camp in Villupuram district and returned to Sri Lanka in 2007. Likewise, Praveena had informed the police that she had stayed in 2006 in Mallipattinam camp in Thanjavur district. After the economic crisis, Janardhanan, who has a country boat, had sold it as there was no economic activity. Hence, he was unemployed and decided to leave Sri Lanka, police said.

The four refugees were handed over to the officials at the Mandapam Rehabilitation Camp.