January 6, 2016 10:22 am
Eight Tamil Nadu fishermen, who were arrested for allegedly crossing the international maritime border, were released by Sri Lanka following an order by a court in Mullaitivu.
According to reports, the arrests were made on Monday after their boat collided with the boat of Lankan fishermen, which sank in the mid sea as a result of the impact.
The Lankan fishermen then cornered the fishermen from Akkarapettai in Nagapattinam district and dragged the fishing boat to Sri Lanka with ropes. The Tamil fishermen were handed over to the Lankan Navy, along with the boat.
This incident has created tension in the fishermen hamlets of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. Tamil fishermen are urging the government to secure the release of fellow fishermen and more than 62 fishing boats detained by Lanka.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalaithaa had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the matter of freeing 84 Tamil fishermen languishing in Lankan jail, ANI reports.
-Agencies
