Navy arrests 29 Tamil refugees in Talaimannar Sea

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 July 2004, 09:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Friday early morning arrested 29 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and four boatmen in the Talaimannar Sea when they were returning from Rameswaram in South India. Refugees and boatmen were later handed over to the Talaimannar Police.

The Police Saturday produced all the thirty-three persons in the Mannar Magistrates' Court. Acting Magistrate Mr. M.P.Farook remanded the four boatmen who are natives of Pesalai in Mannar district till 16 July for allegedly transporting Sri Lankan Tamil refugees without permission, legal sources said.

The acting Magistrate further ordered civil officials that all the 29 refugees to be sent to their native villages in the districts of Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Batticaloa, the sources said.