18 Lankan Tamil refugees land at prohibited area

Rameswaram Island, Tamil Nadu, July 26 (UNI) Eighteen Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, including five children, inadvertently landed at the Indian Naval Jetty, a prohibited high security zone, here today.

Official sources said the refugees, hailing from Vavuniya region in the island nation, set out in a fibre glass boat to take refuge in Tamil Nadu and entered the naval jetty, mistaking it for the Rameswaram fishing jetty.

The Naval personnel rounded up the boat and interrogated the refugees. After ascertaining their identity, the Navy men handed them over to the State police.

Later, they were sent to the Special Refugee Camp at Mandapam, the sources added.

UNI GSM RSA KP1825