Chennai,  With Sri Lanka engulfed in an economic crisis, the inflow of refugees from the island nation continues to the Indian shores. The latest is the arrival of a single mother and her two children at Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu marine police personnel were informed by the local fishermen about the arrival of the Sri Lankan woman along with her children. As they did not have any valid documents or papers, they were brought from the Arichal mount to the marine police station at Rameswaram, and were questioned by the police.

Police sources told IANS that the woman Varshini (37) and her children, Nainika (11) and Rangesan (4) are residents of Batticaloa in Sri Lanka.

According to investigating officers, who spoke to IANS, the woman had told them that she had paid Rs 2.5 lakh Sri Lankan rupees to a boat owner to sail her "illegally" to the Indian shores.

She said that they commenced the journey from the Gulf of Mannar at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and reached on Wednesday morning.

The mother and children were lodged at the Mandapam refugee camp.

Varshini, while speaking to the media persons at Mandapam refugee camp, said: "Not only has the price increased, essential items are scarce in our country now. An egg costs Rs 50 and we are not able to get milk powder even if we pay the hiked price. As a single mother of two children, I find it hard to live in Sri Lanka and have taken great risks to reach India to lead a better life."

She also said that she had sold her last gold ornaments to pay the amount of Rs 2.5 lakh Sri Lankan rupees to the boat owner to travel to India.

The woman said that she and her children waited for three days at the Gulf of Mannar to get the boat to travel to India.

With the arrival of Varshini and her two children, the number of Sri Lankan refugees who have reached the Indian shores and housed at Mandapam since the economic crisis engulfed the island nation has touched 42.