112 Indian fishermen remanded to judicial custody in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: The 112 Indian fishermen, accused of doing "illegal" fishing in Sri Lankan waters, were on Wednesday remanded to judicial custody until the end of this month by a local court in Jaffna.

The fishermen, who were produced before a Point Pedro Magistrate court in Jaffna, were remanded to judicial custody until February 28.

The remand order came contrary to expectations that the fishermen would be released on bail.

Earlier, Sri Lanka's Deputy minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera told PTI "this is a bailable offence."

The fishermen were apprehended along with their boats and handed over to the Point Pedro police yesterday by a group of local fishermen, who claim they strayed into the country's waters and were doing "illegal" fishing.

Diplomatic efforts were on since then to secure the release of the fishermen.

The Indian high commission officials had discussions with the external affairs ministry yesterday and Indian consulate in Jaffna peninsula is in touch with the fishermen.

India last month accused the Sri Lankan Navy of killing at least two Indian fishermen.

The incident triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity between the two south Asian neighbours following which Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao visited Colombo to seek assurances to prevent such incidents in future.