Courtesy: BBC Tamil
Tamil Nadu Marine Police have rescued an elderly couple who had come to Dhanushkodi beach illegally by boat from Sri Lanka and fainted. They have claimed to have taken refuge in India with no way to live in their home country.
The prices of essential commodities have risen sharply due to the protracted economic crisis in Sri Lanka. The country is also short of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and food. As a result, many Sri Lankans have started coming to Tamil Nadu since March 22, violating the maritime security of both countries, with no way to live in their homeland.
However, no decision has been taken on the request made by the Government of Tamil Nadu to the Government of India to allow such Sri Lankans to be considered refugees. In this context, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin has ordered the authorities to keep Sri Lankans seeking asylum in camps without considering them as illegal immigrants.
Fishermen in the area informed the Rameswaram Marine Police that an elderly couple was lying unconscious on the beach at Gothandramar beach next to Dhanushkodi this morning.
Based on this, Rameswaram Marine Police pro-investigator Kalidas and the police rescued the two persons who were lying unconscious on the beach. An ambulance was called to give them first aid. But the couple could not reach the area by emergency vehicle as they were both near the beach.
Rescue on hover boat due to non-arrival of ambulance
Following this, Marine Inspector Kanagaraj sought the help of the Indian Coast Guard in the hall. The hovercraft patrol boat belonging to the Coast Guard was called to Gotandaram beach.
The soldiers rescued the Sri Lankan couple and handed them over to the Marine Police at the Double Sheet beach near Rameswaram. From there the couple was taken to Rameswaram Government Hospital where first aid was given.
Following the investigation, it was revealed that the asylum seekers were Shivan (82) from Murunganpitiya area in Mannar district of Sri Lanka and his wife Parameswari (75) who was with him.
Shiva has said that he has 3 daughters and a son who worked as a laborer in Mannar.
The elderly couple said they wanted to live with their son, who is staying in a refugee camp in Tamil Nadu due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and the inability to live in his home country due to old age.
They left Mannar Pesalai by boat last Sunday evening and reached Dhanushkodi.
Couple drinking seawater
Speaking to BBC Tamil about the danger to life at sea, the old man Sivan said, ‘Those who took us on the boat left the shore at midnight. In the darkness we waited on the sand dune not knowing where to go. We drank seawater without eating. The night was cold and the morning heat was scorching. At one point we both fell unconscious on the beach when the blood pressure increased and the body got tired, ‘says Shiva.
‘When we first thought we were both dead, the Marine police gave first aid and took us to the hospital in the midst of great difficulty,’ said Sivan.
92 visits in 3 months
A team of federal and state security officials are investigating both men, who are currently in critical condition. Steps were then taken to hand over the two to the Mandapam refugee camp.
Due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, 92 Sri Lankan Tamils belonging to 26 families have been detained in the Mandapam refugee camp since March 22.