CHENNAI: A Sri Lankan court has sentenced three boat drivers of Rameswaram to undergo one-year imprisonment or pay a fine of 40 lakh Sri Lankan Rupee each for allegedly entering the Sri Lankan waters in violation of International Maritime Boundary Line on June 23.
The court on Tuesday also ordered the release of 19 fishermen, and extended the custody of nine other fishers, sources said.
The three boat drivers identified as Kaliswaran, Karuppaiah and Jegan have been taken to prison after the verdict, sources said. The 19 fishermen released by the court were handed over to Indian embassy officials for being sent back to India.
About nine Rameswaram fishermen, who were arrested on July 23 for IMBL violation, were produced before the court and their custody was extended till August 20.
Condemning the court order, representatives of fishermen associations of Rameswaram, along with DMK MPs and TN Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan, met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday to urge the Union government to get the fishers and drivers released.
Jesuraja and Rayappan, fishermen representatives said, “During the 30-minute meeting, we raised the issue of arrest of fishermen. More than 80 fishermen have been arrested in the recent past and they are languishing in Sri Lankan jails. Hundreds of boats have also been confiscated by the Sri Lankan navy.
When we raised the issue of massive fine and imprisonment being awarded to fishermen, Jaishankar promised that action will be taken by the Indian government to get all the fishermen and boats released from Sri Lanka’s custody. We also raised the need for a delegation-level meeting with the Sri Lankan government and the island nation’s fishermen to ensure safe fishing practices in the intra-country waters.”
Meanwhile, the AIADMK, along with fishermen associations, staged a protest in Rameswaram condemning the continuous arrest of Indian fishermen. Former AIADMK minister R B Udhayakumar alleged that the state government had failed to address the longstanding issue.
19 fishermen released, custody of 9 extended
The Lankan court ordered the release of 19 fishermen, and extended the custody of nine other fishers. The three boat drivers have been identified as Kaliswaran, Karuppaiah and Jegan. The 19 fishermen released by the court were handed over to Indian embassy.