Tamil Nadu police alleged of harassing Eezham Tamil refugees

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 April 2010, 04:51 GMT]
Six Eezham Tamil refugee youths arrested while stranded in mid-sea by Indian Navy and handed over to Tamil Nadu police, told reporters in Tamil Nadu that they had hired a boat to flee to Sri Lanka as they were harassed by Tamil Nadu police in the refugee camps they were lodged in. They further told the reporters they did not mind being killed in Sri Lanka than being harassed by Tamil Nadu police adding that harassment of Eezham Tamil refugees by Tamil Nadu police has escalated.

The six youths who were in the Eezham Tamil refugee camps in Karoor district, Thiruchchi and Pavaani Saakar had hired a boat and left to Sri Lanka from Raameasvaram on 31 March.

The boatmen, during night, had dropped them on a sand dune saying that it was Sri Lanka.

When the next day dawned the youths realized the truth and had been struggling without water or food for three days.

When an Indian Navy patrol boat passed by the youths waved their clothes and drew the attention of the soldiers who arrested them and later handed them over to Tamil Nadu police.

The youths told the reporters that they had sought refugee in Tamil Nadu with high hopes of salvation and being subjected to harassment by Tamil Nadu police decided to go to their home country.

Another group of Eezham Tamil youths had met the same fate recently when they tried to flee the refugee camps in Tamil Nadu due to police harassment.