Court sentences Indian fisherman to jail, orders release of four others

A Sri Lankan court on Friday ordered the release of four Indian fishermen and sentenced another fisherman, also hailing from Rameswaram, to one year of imprisonment for repeated violation of maritime boundaries. 

The court also imposed a penalty on all five fishermen, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on July 28 for violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) while they were fishing near the Mannar coast.

The fishermen had been lodged in Vavuniya Prison, and their case came up for hearing for the ninth time on Friday. 

Following the verdict, all five were shifted from Vavuniya Prison to an outer facility, pending completion of formalities. 

--Agencies