Indian boatmen released in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 2003, 00:04 GMT]
The Point Pedro Magistrate, Mr.K. Ariyanayakam, Monday discharged two Indian boatmen, Mr.Thurairajah Mahendran and Mr. Thiruvonam Balamurugan, who had been in remand since their capture by local fishermen when they poached in Sri Lanka's territorial waters, on the instructions of the Attorney General, legal sources said.

The Magistrate further ordered the Police to hand over the two fishing crafts and with fishing gear now being kept in the custody of the Kankesanthurai navy detachment to the Indian boatmen, as directed by the Attorney General, legal sources said.

Jaffna fishermen captured ten Indian fishermen, including these two boatmen, last September when they poached in the Vadamaradchi Sea. However, the Indian fishermen were released the same day except for the two boatmen. The boatmen were released Monday on the orders of the Attorney General, legal sources said.

Meanwhile, 31 fishing boats belonging to Indian fishermen who poached in the northern sea have been kept in the custody of the Sri Lanka Navy in Kankesanthurai harbor, sources said.

The Jaffna High Court in the meantime recently ordered the confiscation of two Indian trawlers used by Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters, legal sources said.