NAGAPATTINAM/KARAIKAL: After spending an ordeal varying up to a maximum term of 41 days, about 57 fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy under poaching charges during December, 2015 and January, 2016 were repatriated at the Karaikal port here on Thursday evening.
Of the 102 fishermen released by the Sri Lankan government, as many as 57 fishermen belonging to Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, and Karaikal fishing hamlets reached the Karaikal port, and with the remaining 45 fishermen belonging to Ramanathapuram and a section of fishermen from Pudukkottai districts were simultaneously repatriated at Mandapam coast guard station on Thursday.
Owing to the diplomatic efforts pursued by the Indian and Tamil Nadu govts in recent past, the Sri Lankan government had released the 114 fishermen including 37 belonging to Nagapattinam, 10 from Karaikal between January 14 and 18 in a goodwill gesture. Already as about eight fishermen belonging to Nagapattinam hamlets were repatriated by ICG at Karaikal port on January 15, the remaining 102 fishermen were repatriated at Karaikal and Mandpam ports by the ICG personnel.