26 Tamils on illegal ferry journey nabbed

03 Apr 2014 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Twenty-six Sri Lankan Tamils were nabbed by Indian Coast Guard while on an illegal voyage to Australia in a ferry off Andaman coast and deported to their country today.

They were brought here by Andaman Police and sent back to Sri Lanka by a Spice Jet flight this morning, airport sources said.

They said coast guard personnel, on a patrol, intercepted the ferry in which the 26 Lankan nationals were travelling off Andaman two days ago.

During questioning, the occupants told officials that they were proceeding to Australia in search of job and had paid the boat operator lakhs of rupees. As they were found travelling without any documents, Coast Guard personnel detained and handed them over to Andaman Police which brought

them here. Ever since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009, there had been several instances of Lankan Tamils taking the illegal route to reach Australia looking for greener pastures.

Australia has warned that such illegal immigrants would not be given asylum. (PTI)

Breaking News

26 Tamils on illegal ferry journey nabbed

Most Popular Articles

More arrests of lawyers, politicians and senior police officers

Former National Lotteries Board Chairperson Shyamila Perera arrested

Girl visited her lover, gang raped by lover and his friends

Updated World Test Championship standings after West Indies’ record win over Sri Lanka

Historic locomotive move between Kandy and Peradeniya without tracks

12-hour water cut in Colombo and suburbs on Saturday

Latest News

Reconstruction of damaged Kandy–Colombo railway line accelerated

LAUGFS gas slashes domestic LP gas prices

French heat wave death toll rises to 2025

Spa Association complains to IGP over alleged police action

CIABOC says Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was in Dubai during alleged bribe transaction