Several Eelam Tamils have attempted suicide in a special camp in Trichy Central Jail following the rejection of their demand for release. A further five remain in critical condition in the Trichy Government Hospital.
#திருச்சிசிறப்புமுகாமில் போராடிய இவர்கள் இப்போது
ஆபத்தான சூழலில் திருச்சி அரசு மருத்துவமனையில்உதயா 42
தாரகன் 22
நிசாந்தன் 36
ரவிகரன் 27
கிருபா 36மாண்புமிகு முதல்வர் @CMOTamilnadu அவர்கள் நேரடியாக கவனம் செலுத்த வேண்டுகிறோம்! pic.twitter.com/ZesIOR88ok
— வன்னி அரசு (@VanniArasu_VCK) August 20, 2021
Some of the detainees consumed large amounts of sleeping pills while others slit themselves in the stomach in an attempt to commit suicide.
The refugees, some of whom have been held in the camp for years, have long been protesting against the detention which they say are based on false allegations.
More than 60 Eelam Tamils are currently detained in the Central Jail camp with various criminal allegations against them. There are over 100 inmates in the camp including citizens of Bangladesh, Sudan, Nigeria and Bulgaria.
பல கட்ட போராட்டங்களை முன்னெடுத்து பலனிக்காத நிலையில் திருச்சி சிறப்பு முகாமிலிருக்கும் 15க்கும் மேற்பட்ட இலங்கை தமிழர்கள் அளவுக்கு அதிகமான தூக்க மாத்திரைகளை சாப்பிட்டும், வயிற்றைக் கிழித்துக்கொண்டும் தற்கொலை முயற்சி (thread) pic.twitter.com/QR9huJMADA
— Sonia Arunkumar (@rajakumaari) August 18, 2021
Some Tamils are frustrated that they are held in detention even though they have been exonerated by the court or have obtained bail. Others continue to be imprisoned for longer than their initial sentence.
They launched a hunger strike against the detention last month and conducted a protest in the month of June demanding that they be released on the grounds of the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic and that they be allowed to live with their family. In response to their hunger strike protest, they were presented before Trichy Criminal Court last week.
Read more here: Eelam Tamil refugees protest for 9th continuous day demanding their release
For more on the lives of Eelam Tamils detained there, watch the video below.
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