The 24 Indian fishermen who were apprehended and handed over to local police at Elavalai police station, adjacent to Karainagar (in Jaffna), on Wednesday evening around 8 pm, have been remanded to judicial custody.
These fishermen were fishing in the Madagal Sea close to Kankasanturai in seven boats. According to reports there were more Indian boats in the vicinity, but it is no clear how or why only seven were captured.
The fishermen were produced before the Malakkam magistrate after a medical check up. The Indian Consul General at Jaffna, Mahalingam, has been given access to them.
On Tuesday evening, as many as 112 Indian fishermen were apprehended by the Tamil fishermen of Jaffna, 15-20 kms off Point Pedro and then later handed over to the police there. They have been remanded to judicial custody by a Court in Jaffna.
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Ashok K.Kantha spearheaded the hectic diplomatic efforts in Colombo to secure the early release of the Indian fishermen.
