21 Rameshwaram fishermen released with their boats

By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai

CHENNAI, 27 September (asiantribune.com): Twenty-one Rameswaram fishermen who were held by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly straying into Sri Lankan waters returned home on Friday. They were taken back from the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) by the Indian Coast Guard.

The Rameshwaram fishermen were fasting, holding demonstrations and striking not to go into seas until their release for the past one week. On Friday the AIADMK held a massive demonstration at Rameshwaram for their release, even as the detained fishermen were being released. The impounded five boats were also released.

The 21 fishermen were taken away by the Sri Lankan navy while fishing between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar on September 17. They were produced before a Mannar court and detained at the Anuradhapuram prison, said T. Ilamvazhuthi, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Rameswaram.

They were to be produced again on October 1 but the Union government sought their immediate repatriation. The fishermen were quickly produced before the Mannar court on Thursday and were released, he added.

On information of their repatriation, the Coast Guard sent its ship to receive the five boats and their crew from the Sri Lankan navy at the IMBL in Palk Bay on Friday. The boats were escorted by the ship to the Coast Guard Station at Mandapam where the fishermen were questioned by Central and State intelligence and other security agencies.

They were later handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries, Rameswaram.