Mangalore: Human trafficking - Five accused arrested, 88 refugees rescued
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore Apr 26: The Mangalore police who busted a major human trafficking network on Thursday April 25, have arrested five persons and rescued as many as 88 refugees, most of them hailing from Sri Lanka and brought from Tamil Nadu.
The operation was carried out on Thursday based on a tip-off. The refugees were reporteldly being sent to Australia on promises of employment and for this reason they were brought to the city. Arrangements were being made to send them to Australia by sea route from here.
Top row: Dorington, Kannan
Bottom row: Kartikeyan, Nikson, Tavarasa
The operation was busted when the police in a joint operation with city crime branch rounded up some of the accused and refugees from Bunder here. On interrogation it was learnt that many more were staying at a lodge in Dharmasthala. Thereafter, with the help of Beltangady police, a raid was carried out and rest of the refugees were rescued.
It is also learnt that the five accused had taken Rs 1 lac each from the Sri Lankan refugees by promising to provide them jobs in Australia. The refugees came from refugee camps in Chennai, Gummidipundi, Mandapam, Bhavanisagar, Banavaram, Gudiyatham, Pathirikuppam. Among the 88 rescued are 29 men, 22 women, 18 male children, and 19 female children.
The arrested are identified as Doringten (40), Nikson Darwin (38), both residents of Gummidipundi, Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, Thavarassa (46) from Chennai hailing from Sri Lanka, Kannan (31), a resident of Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, who is under the care of Sundar at Bengre here, and Karthikeyan (40), from Mandapam Camp, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu.
It is also said that these five accused had an agreement with Chandranath, owner of a vessel at Manjeshwar, whom they paid Rs 2 lac in advance. Even food grains were found in the vessel which was to transport the refugees to Australia.
Police have also confiscated Rs 25,940 in cash, 5 mobile phones, and identity cards from two Tamil refugees.
All the refugees will be sent back to their respective refugee camps escorted by the Tamil Nadu police.
Mangalore city crime branch, coastal security police, Dakshina Kannada district crime branch and Beltangady police took part jointly conducted the operation.