Sri Lankan courts order release of 49 Tamil Nadu fishermen

RAMESWARAM (TAMIL NADU): As many as 49 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, arrested by Sri Lanka for allegedly fishing in its territorial waters, were today ordered to be released by the island nation's courts.

The fishermen from Rameswaram, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai were among the 77 fishers arrested in the last two months, a local fishermen association office-bearer said here.

While 21 fishers were set free by the Oorkavalthurai court, 22 by Parithithurai court and six others were released by the Puthalam court, Ramanathapuram Fishermen's Association President P Sesuraja said.

The formalities to set free the fishermen from prisons will be completed in a couple of days.

Orders for the release of the remaining fishermen would be delivered by the court tomorrow, he added.

The Sri Lankan Fisheries officials had on July 22 said necessary recommendations for the release of the fishermen had been made following interventions by India.

However, Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amarasweera had said that none of the Indian boats would be released despite the release of the fishermen.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate action in securing the release of all 77 fishermen and 103 fishing boats detained by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly fishing in their country's waters in recent months.