Tamil Nadu Govt warns Lankan refugees

by Ananth PALAKIDNAR

The Tamil Nadu State Government has warned Sri Lankan refugees in camps in the state not to make any abortive attempt to sail to foreign destinations such as Australia and Canada, informed sources said.

A top official of the Tamil Nadu State Government S.Kalaivanan visited the refugee camps in the southern tip of the state and cautioned Sri Lankan refugees against their attempts to escape from the camps.

S. Kalaivanan warned the refugees in the camps to be vigilant over human trafficking and their `dirty tricks'. Several Sri Lankan refugees had been cheated by fraudulent persons in recent months with pledges being made to take them to various foreign destinations, according to Kalaivanan.

He also warned the Sri Lankan refugees that even if they returned to their motherland they should inform Tamil Nadu officials prior to their return.

Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard has intensified its vigilance to curb any form of human trafficking, the sources said.