Lankan fishermen sent back home

Chennai, Dec 22 (UNI) Ten fishermen from Jaffna, who were held by the Indian Coast Guard on August 10 this year when they entered Indian waters were sent back to Sri Lanka by air this afternoon.

Official sources said they had been housed in various refugees camps in the state for the last five months. Special branch police interrogated them to see whether they were fishermen or had any links with LTTE militants.

After concluding that they were genuine fishermen, they were handed over to the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner here today.

The Deputy High Commission authorities today deported all of them to Colombo en route to Jaffna by a scheduled Indian Airlines flight.

UNI RV AA MSJ HS1935