Sri Lankan courts release TN fishermen

Rameswaram, Mar 24: Two Sri Lankan courts on Tuesday, Mar 24 ordered the release of 54 Tamil Nadu fishermen, whose arrest by Sri Lankan Navy has threatened to derail talks between representatives of fishers of the two neighbouring countries, a Fisheries department official said here.

The judicial magistrate courts in Trincomallee and Mannar in northern Sri Lanka ordered the release of the fishermen, arrested for allegedly fishing in Lankan territorial waters on March 21, at around 11.30 AM.

Quoting information received by him, Assistant Director of Fisheries Gopinathan said the fishermen would return on Wednesday after being handed over by the Sri lankan Navy to the Indian Coast Guard personnel.

The Tamil Nadu government had threatened to call off the third round of fishermen-level talks, scheduled here on Tuesday, if the arrested were not released by 11 am.

PTI