Sri Lankan inmate marries in Indian detainee camp

A 33-year-old inmate of the special camp for foreigners in Cheyyar married his relative at a simple function amid tight security on Wednesday.

Krishnalingam of Vavuniya married his aunt’s daughter Vasantha Malar, who came all they way from Sri Lanka to marry him. He had been detained at the camp since 2011 after being arrested by the Q branch police in Chennai for entering the country using forged documents.

Sources said Krishnalingam had submitted a petition through the district administration on July 8 requesting the State government to allow him to marry. This was forwarded to the Home Department, which in turn granted him the permission.

Arrangements were made after the families of the couple decided the marriage date. Lingam tied the knot with Malar at a small Murugan temple near the sub-registrar’s office between 10.30 am and 11 am. Five of the relatives of the girl attended the marriage. Police personnel from Q branch and Cheyyar Town Station were deployed. 

Later, they registered the marriage at the sub registrar’s office. Malar left for her relative’s house at Pallavaram in Chennai. “The girl has come on a three-month tourist visa,” said the source. Officials said, the wife can come and stay with him from 10 am to 5 pm at the camp as rules permitted it.