Illegal immigrants, says Sri Lankan Navy while Indian mission says they are fishermenAs many as 86 persons from India, travelling on 11 boats, were on Tuesday caught in Sri Lankan waters as they tried to enter the island nation, possibly fleeing the raging pandemic, the Sri Lankan Navy said. While the Sri Lankan Navy said it prevented “illegal immigrants” from entering Sri Lankan waters, the Indian mission referred to them as ‘fishermen’. During this time, mechanised boats from Tamil Nadu, that are accused of fishing in Sri Lankan waters, are usually off sea. The Sri Lankan Navy said it has increased patrol along the island’s north and north-western coasts to prevent “illegal migration”. “One of them was a Sri Lankan refugee who was living in India, and another was a Sri Lankan woman who was undergoing treatment there.” Similar cases of refugees attempting to return to Sri Lanka by boat were also reported during India’s first wave of COVID-19 last year.

Source: The Hindu May 04, 2021 15:08 UTC