Mannar civilians again flee to South India

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 August 2006, 15:03 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy Monday night around 7:30 p.m. arrested 12 persons of three families including three children who were hiding in a bush along the Mannar sea shore waiting for a boat to leave to Tamilnadu state in South India to seek refuge. All of them were handed to the Talaimannar police Tuesday morning around 11:00 a.m by the Sri Lanka Navy. SL policemen in Pesalai recently warned civilians to leave their houses from Pesalai.

They were produced in Mannar court Tuesday afternoon. Mr.T.J.Pirapaharan, Additional Magistrate ordered personal bail for nine adults, five thousand rupees each and put off the further inquiry for August 17th. Three children were allowed to go with their parents, legal sources said.

Several Tamil families have gone to Tamilnadu from Mannar since August 5th the day the Sri Lanka Army started shelling following a grenade attack on one its camps in Mannar area.

According to civil sources, 139 persons from 43 families from villages, Uyilankulam, Vaddupiththanmadu and Karisal left to India Saturday. About 45 persons from five families left their villages Silavathurai and Arippu and have sought refuge in Tamilnadu.

About 470 persons from 125 families in Peslai have gone to Tamilnadu.