Lankan Tamils' Hunger-Strike Enters Eighth Day

India is holding prisoners over accusations of LTTE involvement.

Chengalpattu Sri Lankan refugee camp Photo: GlobalTamilNews

(CHENGALPATTU, India) - The hunger-strike by 10 Sri Lankan Tamils demanding their release from the special camp at Chengalpattu entered the eighth day on Monday.

Five more had joined the fasting on Friday. The protesters are asking to be released since they are being held sans legal grounds for several months under the passport act.

“I am being held here since February 2011. They told me I was being detained because I am a supporter of the LTTE, which I denied.

After eight months in jail, the Tiruchy judicial magistrate II court granted me bail, but the police here did not let me join my family and instead, locked me up in this special camp at Chengalpattu”, said Nagarasa Chandrakanthan, 35, who has been fasting from April 16, along with nine other Sri Lankan Tamils.

“Why was I not allowed to go back to my family when the court granted me bail? I did no crime and I was living a normal life, working in a bakery at Trichy.

The state ‘Q’ branch police arrested me as I stepped out of the Trichy central jail after getting the bail and hoping to join my waiting wife”, said Nagarasa, 35.

Nagarasa told DC he had been conscripted by the LTTE but abandoned militancy long time back. “I married in 2001 and we have two daughters.

I am confident that the benevolent Tamil Nadu CM will order our release if she knows the truth about us”, he said.

Special thanks to Deccan Chronicle