Detained Indian fishermen released in Sri Lanka
June 30, 2011 07:11 am
The 23 Indian fishermen who were arrested in Sri Lanka last week, were released from judicial custody yesterday and are expected to return home today, officials said.
The detained fishermen, along with their five boats that were seized, would be
handed over by the Lankan Navy to Indian Coastguard today at the International
Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), Coast Guard Assistant Commander Safaya said.
The fishermen are expected to reach Indian shores by evening. The release of
the fishermen was ordered yesterday afternoon by Mannar district court
magistrate Karuppiah Jeevarani, Intelligence Bureau officials said.
The fishermen, on board five trawlers, were held last week off the north east
coat of Mannar by the Lankan Navy and then handed over to the Talaimannar
police. Following the arrest, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had sought
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to secure their release, PTI
reports.
