Human trafficking case – 5 remanded to police custody

Human trafficking case – 5 remanded to police custody

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Sep 12, 2012: Five of the 13 people recently arrested in connection with the mega human trafficking case have been remanded to police custody. They are Thavarassa (46) of Shri Lanka, Shajahan (33) of Palakkad in Kerala, Dinesh kumar (27) of Nammakal, Yakoob (40) of Tamil Nadu, and Salim (28) of Vellore.

 

Speaking about the case, DCP (law and order) Muthuraya said that the police are investigating earlier attempts made by the accused to illegally move Shri Lankan refugees to Australia.

Recently, the city police rescued 84 people, including 56 Shri Lankan refugees, who were being illegally taken to Australia. The city police, with the help of the Tamil Nadu police, successfully identified the victims and sent the Shri Lankan refugees and 21 people from Tamil Nadu back to their refugee camps and homes. The rehabilitation commissioner of Chennai is now in charge of these refugees. The police said that three of the rescued people are Tamilians living in Kundapur and the other four are from Kerala.

The Shri Lankan Embassy has requested the city police to get details about the people who have been arrested, one of who is a Shri Lankan citizen.

IGP (western range) Prathap Reddy said that the police will generate a report on the accused and will find out if they had any local assistance.

The other eight people accused in connection with this case are in judicial custody.

Madhav Suvarna of Chitrapura, who had sold the boat to the traffickers, could not obtain bail. The city police arrested him on Monday. They also seized rice, vegetables, pickles, and pulses from the boat.