Youth Swims 13 Km to reach Tamil Nadu

Chennai: A 24-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil man swam about seven miles i.e., 13 km in the Palk Strait, and reached Dhanushkodi on Sunday. Hassan Khan aka Khan of Mannar district jumped into the sea after the Sri Lankan Navy fired at a boat carrying him and a family of five illegally to Tamil Nadu. Fishermen at Rameswaram spotted him and alerted the police who picked him up. Officers of Central agencies are now investigating him.

A senior officer, who is part of the investigation, informed that Hassan Khan left Sri Lanka about three days ago in an illegal vessel hired by a family of five in the Mannar district. As he was unable to survive in Sri Lanka owing to the economic crisis, he fled to join his parents and look for livelihood in Tamil Nadu or Puducherry. Hassan Khan was detained at the Mandapam Station.

The officer also said that when the verification process will be over, Hassan would be handed over to officials of the Mandapam Rehabilitation Camp, where about 175 refugees have been staying.