Nineteen Indian fishermen lodged in a Sri Lankan prison were released by a court in the Island nation on Monday. Among them, 16 are from Rameswaram while three are from Jegathapattinam in Pudukottai district. The Sri Lankan navy apprehended 16 Rameswaram fishermen on March 19 while three fishermen from Jegathapattinam were held on March 31. The Lankan courts lodged them in a Jaffna prison on charges of trespassing into their territorial waters.
The fishermen associations in Rameswaram had earlier decided to stage a road roko at Thangachimadam demanding the release of fishermen. Fishermen leader B Jesuraja said that they have decided to withdraw the road roko after this development.
“Though our men are released from the prison, the fishing crafts are withheld and it destroys our livelihood. We appeal to the Centre and the state government to resolve the row with Sri Lanka during this fishing ban period so that we can take out fishing once the ban period ends,” he added.