SLN's inaction keeps released Indian fishermen stranded

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 February 2005, 14:23 GMT]
Ten Indian fishermen who were released by the Mallakam Magistrate's Court on the instruction of the Attorney General are still stranded in the Jaffna prison for about a month as the Sri Lanka Navy authorities have failed to take steps to hand over them to Indian Navy, sources in Jaffna said.

The Sri Lanka Navy arrested these Indian fishermen when they were poaching in the Sri Lankan territorial waters during the latter part of last year. The Mallakam Magistrate ordered remand for them.

Following tsunami disaster, on instructions from the Attorney general instructed the Mallakam court magistrate made order releasing them and instructed the Sri Lanka Navy to hand over the fishermen to the Indian Navy, sources said.

However, the SLN authorities up to now have not taken any steps to hand over these Indian fishermen to their counterparts. Indian fishermen have complained to prison authorities that since their release by Sri Lankan courts neither government has taken any steps to send them back to India, sources said.