52 Lankan refugees arrive TN coast

Rameswaram, Feb 3 (UNI) About 52 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, belonging to 22 families, arrived here today from the strife-torn island nation, taking the number of refugees who had arrived here to nearly 18,000.

The refugees, comprising 20 men, 20 women and 12 children, hailed from Vavuniya, Talaimannar and Kilinochchi areas of Sri Lanka.

They came in a boat to Dhanushkodi, about 20 km from here, from where they were transported to the temple town in a police vehicle.

After ascertaining their identities, they were sent to the Mandapam Refugee Camp, near here.

The refugees said that they had left the island nation due to fear and harassment by the LTTE, which has been fighting for a separate Tamil Eelam and the Lankan military troops.

With this a total number of 18,000 refugees have arrived in Tamil Nadu during the last 16 to 18 months.

UNI