The Mannar court in Sri Lanka on Thursday ordered the release of 19 fishermen of Tamil Nadu and the group is expected to reach Rameswaram on Friday.
Totally, 19 fishermen were detained by the Lankan navy along with their four mechanised boats on March 13 when they were fishing in mid sea. Later they were lodged in the Anuradhapura prison. Following this, fishermen association in Rameswaram launched an indefinite strike from March 16 demanding the release of their colleagues.
However, the protesters withdrew their stir following an assurance from officials over the release of the 19 fishermen and fishing activity resumed from April 1.
However, similar acts and detention of fishermen by the island nation navy continued and another batch of 30 fishermen of Rameswaram along with their five boats were abducted by the Lankan forces. Soon after another group of 26 from Karaikal were also whisked away by the Lankan navy and all of them were lodged in a prison in the island nation.
Muralidharan, national council member of BJP took up the issue with senior BJP leader and MP Prakash Javadekar, who was a part of the FICCI delegation that had gone to Sri Lanka recently for track two dialogue. Prakash Javadekar promised that he would take the issue before the Lankan authorities.
Meanwhile, the 19 detained fishermen were produced before the Mannar court which ordered their release on Thursday. Therefore, the 19 fishermen were handed over to Thalaimannar police later. Arulanantham, of the Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen told that the fishermen were likely to arrive Rameswaram on Friday.