27 Indian youth arrested in Colombo for overstaying

Sri Lankan Immigration officials arrested a batch of 27 Indian youth in Colombo during the weekend for staying on though their visas have expired.

Sri Lankan Immigration officials arrested a batch of 27 Indian youth in Colombo during the weekend for staying on though their visas have expired, a senior official said on Monday.

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Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration assistant controller William Deivendrarajah said the Indians were sent to Sri Lanka allegedly by a foreign employment agent in India and were arrested at a lodge at Maradana in Colombo for overstaying in the country.

"During the interrogation it was alleged that a foreign employment agent in India, who had promised to send them to Dubai for employment, had sent them here to get their medical certificates done, claiming that the Dubai agency would not accept medical certificates from India," Deivendrarajah told IANS.

The arrested Indians were now being kept in the immigration detention centre at Mirihana, pending deportation.

"Of the 27 arrested, nine youth would be deported to India on Wednesday and another six would be deported next Tuesday. The remaining 12 Indians would be kept in the detention until they get their air tickets," Deivendrarajah said, adding that authorities here could not proceed with the investigation further as they were sent by an agent in India.

He said the Indian High Commission here has been informed about the arrests and the developments thereafter.