Chennai, Apr 10 (IANS): A total of 21 Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka reached Rameswaram during the early morning hours of Sunday.

The refugees were found at a sand mound in Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram. Indian Coast Guard and Tamil Nadu Marine police took them into custody and were interrogated at the Mandapam police station. The police officials said that the refugees reached the Indian shores in two fishing boats.

The 21 people are likely to be shifted to the Mandapam refugee camp as the Tamil Nadu government has taken a position that the Tamil Sri Lankan refugees need not be jailed.

Four Sri Lankan Tamils, including a man and his wife, and two children reached the Indian shores on Saturday and were lodged in the Mandapam refugee camp.

Since the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, 41 refugees have reached the Indian shores. The Tamil Nadu government is planning to increase the number of refugee camps following the possibility of more refugees reaching the state.