Sri Lankan court orders release of 35 Tamil Nadu fishermen

RAMESWARAM (TN): A Sri Lankan court today ordered the release of 35 fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy last month, officials said.

The fishermen from Pamban South area were arrested on August 25 for allegedly fishing in the Lankan sea zone.

They were produced before Puthalam Court Magistrate Pasis, who ordered their release, Fisheries Department officials said.

However, the Magistrate did not pass orders on the release of five fishing boats seized from them, officials said.

Yesterday, 20 fishermen from this coastal town were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy when they were fishing in the Palk Strait on a day when 34 fishermen, released by a Sri Lankan court after their arrest on September four, arrived here.

Stepping up pressure on the Centre, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday to facilitate a dialogue between fishermen associations in the state and Sri Lanka, to be held in Chennai in December following frequent attacks and arrests of fishermen by naval personnel of the island nation.