Sri Lanka on Thursday freed 33 Indian fishermen arrested for allegedly poaching in the country’s waters, days after President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered their release as a goodwill gesture.
The fishermen were handed over to the Indian Coast Guard Ship “Rajkamal” at the seas off Mannar, Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement.
“Under the direction of the president steps have been taken to repatriate 33 Indian fishermen in the Sri Lanka custody with the immediate effect on June 5,” the statement said.
In New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted, “Yes 33 fishermen have been released by Sri Lanka and handed over to Indian Coast Guard today afternoon.”
. >@MagChennai Yes 33 fishermen have been released by Sri Lanka and handed over to Indian Coast Guard today afternoon.
— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) >June 5, 2014The fishermen were part of a group who set out in 727 boats from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on May 31 and were arrested while fishing near Katchatheevu, ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974.
The 29 fishermen, with four others, strayed into Sri Lankan waters on June 1 after their boat developed a technical snag.
President Rajapaksa’s order to release fishermen is to signify a goodwill gesture by him to the new Indian government, his spokesman had said.
