20 Sri Lankan refugees arrive in Rameswaram

Rameswaram, Mar 3 (UNI) Twenty Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, including six families, arrived at Arichalmunai sea shore near Dhanushkodi here today.

Official sources said the refugees, including seven children, from Vavuniya and Mannar regions in the island nation, arrived with the help of clandestine boat operators, paying a sum of Rs 6,000 each.

They told the Indian authorities that the cost of living was very high in the island nation. They had to confined to their homes fearing Sri Lankan army action in the wake of fierce fighting with the LTTE.

Scarcity of food and diner commodities had resulted into a steep rise in inflation in Tamil dominated areas, they said.

After preliminary investigations, they were accommodated at the Mandapam refugee camp, the sources said.

UNI GSM DS GT AS2008