Six SL Tamil refugees detained

4 August 2012 04:39 am

Police in Pudcherry foiled an alleged attempt to illegally ferry six Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to Australia, by detaining them on Friday night.

According to police, residents of Perikalapet noticed unusual movement in a house in the area and alerted them. They then surrounded the house and detained six Lankan Tamils, including a six-year-old boy. Two others managed to escape.  

Those detained have been identified as  Nandhagopan, Dhayagharan, Mathews, Sasidharan, and Indrajith. Nandhagopan and Dhayagharan  reached here from Sri Lanka, while Mathews, Sasidharan and Indrajith hailed from refugee camps in Sivagangai, Tirupur and Keezhputhupattu, respectively.

Initially, they gave contradicting information  about their identities.

Kalapet police station sub-inspector N Vetrivel said that on interrogation, they revealed that a couple of those who have been detained had paid money ranging from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh to a person called Jana to ferry them to Australia clandestinely.

Relatives of the rest agreed to pay Jana after ferrying them to that country. Police said a hunt has been launched to nab Jana, a Lankan Tamil refugee, who was the mastermind behind the trafficking of Lankan refugees to Australia. Jana had provided SIM cards with GPS facility to the five persons.

A cheating case has been filed against him.(ENS)