Centre's intervention to release fishermen held by SL Navy sought

Puducherry, Nov 19 (UNI) The Puducherry administration has sought the intervention of the Union Government to secure the release of fishermen from Karaikal, arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Monday.

As many as 16 fishermen from Karaikal, who ventured into the sea from Jagadampattinam, were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. The fishermen village reprsentatives in Karaikal, submitted a memorandum to the District Collector seeking to ensure their release.

Following this, a meeting chaired by Chief Minister V Vaithilingam with the participation of Minister for Fisheries Malladi Krishna Rao and officials of the fisheries department was held here last night.

After the meeting concluded, Mr Vaithilingam sent faxes to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee, and to the Indian Embassy in Colombo, seeking the release of Karaikal fishermen.

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