InternationalLatest

Sri Lanka releases 126 Indian fishermen

Colombo: All the 126 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching into the country’s waters were released yesterday by courts in the country.
The release came as Sri Lanka and India completed the formalities for the release of fishermen detained in each other’s country for allegedly fishing in each other’s waters, a Sri Lankan media reported.

All fishermen are from Tamil Nadu. Indian authorities are also expected to release 37 Sri Lankan fishermen from their custody. Only 116 Indian fishermen were released from jails yesterday as formalities for the release of 10 others could not be completed yesterday.

The 10 fishermen had criminal charges filed against them for allegedly ramming a Sri Lankan Navy patrol craft. Although the Attorney General has decided to withdraw the cases against the 10 fishermen, the decision was not communicated to relevant authorities in Jaffna in time. They are expected to be freed today.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Mahinda Amaraweera had earlier said that Sri Lanka was taking measures to release the 126 Indian fishermen as a humanitarian gesture. The Minister said that Sri Lanka will continue to hold the boats and equipment of the Indian fishermen arrested for allegedly poaching.

The Tamil Nadu fishermen are likely to be repatriated to India on Friday as the sea is ‘too choppy’ for immediate repatriation, the paper quoted the Indian Consul General in Jaffna, A Natarajan.

Show More

Related Articles

Back to top button

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker