86 fishermen freed by Pakistan to reach Vadodara on March 23

Vadodara, March 22: The 86 Indian fishermen, who were released from a Pakistani jail recently and crossed over to India yesterday at Wagah border, will reach here on Wednesday, March 22.

Soon after they arrival, the fishermen were taken to Red Cross building in Amritsar from where they will take Mumbai-bound Suvarn Jayanti Express tonight, M I Sutaria, who is heading the team set up by Gujarat government for bringing back the fishermen, said.

After reaching Vadodara, the fishermen will embark for their homes in Gujarat, Diu, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli. Pakistan handed over 86 fishermen to India at the Wagah Border, a day after they were released by the authorities upon completing their one-year sentence for allegedly trespassing into Pakistan's territorial waters.

Some 377 more Indian prisoners are languishing in the Malir jail of Karachi in Pakistan out of whom 116 have to complete their sentences while the remaining 261 are undertrials. Both Indian and Pakistani fishermen are often arrested for illegal fishing since the Arabian Sea border is not clearly defined and many boats lack the technology to fix their precise location.

PTI