Ten asylum seekers, including five children, arrested by Indian security forces off Dhanuskodi coast today have pleaded not to be deported back to Sri Lanka, stating "we just want to live".

The asylum seekers, who were picked up by police from two boats at 4.30am today, said that they were fleeing Mullaitivu, fearful of their lives amidst increasing arrests, interrogations and white van abductions.

"Using false reasons they keep interrogating you," one of the asylum seekers, Uthayakala, told Indian press.

"We've fled the country because they continued to say false reasons [and interrogated us]," she added.

"Please, we won't go back, and please don't separate our family with jail, etc, we just came here to live, so that our children can study, " Uthayakala said in an emotional plea.

"In Sri Lanka, although the conflict ended 5 years ago, we're still in this state of war, from one jail to another, [we] spend most of the time on the streets with the children," she added.

Speaking about widespread abductions via infamous 'white van incidents', Raveenthiran, another asylum seeker said,

"You don't know what van they are coming in or how they will take you away. Under the name of inquiry, they come to your house and take you away. You can't say if they are releasing those they are taking away or what they are doing. You don't know what's going to happen,"

All ten were detained by Indian police and taken to Rameswaran, PTI reported, where they were questioned by police.