Indian Tamil traders arrested in Batticaloa to be deported

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 August 2009, 17:07 GMT]
Seven South Indian Tamil traders were fined each two thousand rupees Monday by the Batticaloa Magistrate V.Ramakamalan and were discharged with a warning that they should not engage in illegal business with tourist visa. They were taken into custody by the Batticaloa Police from a lodge in Batticaloa on receipt of information that they had been operating illegal business in Batticaloa while staying with tourist visa.

Meanwhile the Department of Immigration and Emigration said in Colombo Monday the seven Indian traders are to be operated back to India, media sources said.

The court also ordered the police to return their stock of clothes and other materials seized during the operation to them. Police sources told court that about hundreds of Indian traders, majority of them are from Tamilnadu had been operating in various parts of the province for several years.

Sources said this was the first time Indian traders visiting Sri Lanka with tourist visa had been arrested on the charge of operating illegal business.

Chronology: