RAMESWARAM: Mannar Magistrate Court in Srilanka, on Wednesday, ordered to release 12 fishermen, hailing from Mandapam in Rameswaram, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy last month. The court also directed the Lankan navy to return the two mechanised boats seized during the arrest.
Following the verdict, the officials of the Indian Consulate in Jaffna met the fishermen and told them steps are being taken to repatriate them at the earliest. Sources said later in the day, the fishermen were taken for a medical check up by the Indian officials. “As of now, they are being accommodated in a safe place. The fishermen will be flown to Tamil Nadu,” they said. According to consulate officials, efforts are being taken to release the remaining fishers, languishing in various jails in the island nation.
Earlier on December 19, 43 fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested by the Lankan navy on charges of trespassing the international maritime border. Following the arrest, Chief Minister M K Stalin had wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to take steps to release the fishermen.
The fishermen associations from Rameswaram had gone on an indefinite strike and later recalled their protest following the assurance from the Union and State governments that steps were being taken to release the arrested fishermen and their mechanised boats.