The Sri Lankan government has handed over 94 Tamil Nadu fishermen to the Indian Coast Guard, after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered their release as a goodwill gesture for Indian Independence Day.
The fishermen, from Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai, have been held under Sri Lankan custody for the last month since they were arrested by the Navy for allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line, reports The Hindu.
Earlier this week, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka had “expressed his appreciation” for the releases. 225 Indian fishermen have been released by the Sri Lankan government since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in May.
Yet, Sri Lanka continues to arrest Indian fishermen and detain their boats, with a strike on Friday by Tamil Nadu fishermen, who said that over 250 boats were kept off the sea, with the Sri Lankan Navy impounding a further 64 boats.
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