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54 Indian fishermen released on presidential order
View(s):Following an intervention by the Fisheries Department citing instructions from the Presidential Secretariat, fourteen Indian fishermen who were remanded by the Kayts Magistrate until April 8 for engaging in bottom trawling in Lankan territorial waters were released along with their trawlers yesterday.
On Thursday 40 fishermen were released while in naval custody following instructions from the Secretariat. Altogether, 54 arrested Indian fishermen were released within 72 hours since their arrest on Wednesday night in the Northern and Eastern seas.
Kayts Magistrate A. Judeson visited the Karainagar Naval camp where the arrested fourteen fishermen were detained and warned them not to venture into the Sri Lankan territorial sea again.
The speedy release of Indian fishermen ahead of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election on April 6 came a day after the Indian High Commission in Colombo released a statement reiterating that issues associated with Indian fishermen need to be handled in a humanitarian manner. It also stressed that providing immediate consular access and emergency supplies to the arrested fishermen were of prime importance.
Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda told the Sunday Times the release of the Indian fishermen was a ‘diplomatic move’ to ensure goodwill and improve bilateral ties between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the Northern Naval Command secured approval from the Kayts Magistrate to use six Indian trawlers that were seized in the recent past. Navy Spokesman Indika de Silva said six Indian trawlers would be used for the naval supply movements within Northern islands and civilian use as well if the requirement arose.