Chennai, April 22 (BPNS)

18 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees including a 4-month pregnant woman reached the shores of India and landed up at Rameswaram on Thursday late night. With the arrival of the 18 refugees, the total number of refugees from Sri Lanka who have reached Indian shores has touched 60.

The island nation is reeling under a severe economic crisis and people are leaving the country to save themselves from poverty and penury. The 60 people including the 18 who reached on Thursday night have come to Rameswaram in eight batches on different days and most have paid a fortune to board small fishing boats from the Gulf of Mannar in Sri Lanka.

The 18 people who reached Rameswaram came in two batches. The first batch that reached the Indian shores comprised 13 people including a pregnant woman and a one and half year old child. They have, according to coastal police officers commenced their journey from the Mannar region in Sri Lanka on Thursday morning and reached India by Thursday night.

The second batch comprised 5 Sri Lankan Tamils and they also arrived at Arichal Munai at Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram on Thursday night.

All the eighteen were questioned at the Marine police station and later lodged at the Mandapam refugee camp. Already 42 Sri Lankan Tamils have reached the Mandapam camp taking the total number of refugee Sri Lankan Tamils to 60.

Sources in the Marine police said that another batch of Sri Lankan Tamils are in the sea and they are reportedly from Jaffna area of Sri Lanka. Police said that Fishermen from Dhanushkodi and Rameswaram had informed the police of their presence and police sources said that they are verifying the claims.