Sri Lanka releases 40 fishermen

Forty Indian fishermen, who were in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities since June, have been released following orders of courts in Point Pedro and Mannar, both in the Northern Province.

They were arrested on the charge of carrying out fishing illegally in the waters of Sri Lanka. Fourteen persons were apprehended on June 1 and 26 persons, 20 days later. “All of them are now in our custody,” A. Natarajan, India’s Consul General in Jaffna, said on Monday.

As a court in Chennai has ordered the release of five Sri Lankan fishermen, it is for the Naval authorities of the two countries to work out the exchange of the fishermen. The boats that were impounded at the time of arrest have not been released, he added.

(The Hindu)