Indian fishermen, trawlers released following talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 14:56 GMT]
One hundred and three Indian fishermen and their twenty five trawlers were released Friday morning and handed over to the Indian Navy following lengthy talks held Thursday night at Mannar, police sources said. The fishermen of Pesalai in Mannar district had detained them Wednesday night when they were caught illegally fishing in Sri Lanka territorial waters.

It was agreed after a lengthy meeting held Wednesday, between the Pesalai fishermen and government officials and the local police. The Bishop of Mannar Rt.Rev Rayappu Joseph, Vavuniya District Secretary Mr.K.Ganesh and the Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo also attended the meeting.

Earlier Pesalai fishermen had demanded that Indian fishermen and trawlers would be released only if they gave a written assurance that they would not enter Sri Lankan sea in future for fishing