Indian fishermen escape from Mannar lockup

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 July 2004, 10:58 GMT]
Six Indian fishermen remanded over poaching in the seas off Talaimannar escaped from prison in the early hours of Thursday morning, Police said. One of the escapees, Mr. Muniyasamy Murukesu was apprehended inside St. Lucia’s Church in Mannar town Thursday afternoon. The six Indian fishermen escaped from the remand lockup in Uppukkulam in Mannar town during a general blackout in the area from around 3 a.m. Police said. An Indian fisherman who refused to escape with his colleagues was produced in Mannar courts Thursday.

Mannar magistrate N. M. M Abdullah remanded the fishermen, Mr Anthony Joseph, until July 15.

Sri Lankan prison officials Wednesday brought seven Indian fishermen from Anuradhapura remand prison Wednesday to be produced in the Mannar magistrate’s court in connection with three cases which were to be taken up for hearing on Thursday. They were kept in the Uppukkulam remand lockup overnight.

The names of the escapees who are yet to be apprehended are: Ramasamy Gunesekaran K. Muttumari Maniyasamy Palan Shanmugam Malaichamy Arokkyam Anthony