More Indian fishermen released by Jaffna courts

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 2003, 16:03 GMT]
The Kayts Magistrate, Mr. A.Premshankar, Tuesday released fifteen Indian fishermen who had been captured by local fishermen and Sri Lanka Navy when poaching in northern sea and were kept in remand, on the instructions of the Attorney General, legal sources said.

The Magistrate further ordered the Police to hand over the trawlers now in the custody of the Sri Lanka Navy to the Indian fishermen.

Already, the Magistrates of Point Pedro and Mallakam Monday released three Indian fishermen who had been in remand since their capture by local fishermen and Sri Lanka Navy when they entered the northern sea illegally, sources said.

The prison officials have taken steps to hand over the released Indian fishermen and their fishing crafts to Indian cost guard personnel through the Sri Lanka Navy, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Co-ordinator of the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Mr. Francis Priyanka, Tuesday arrived in Jaffna and held discussions with the leader of the Northern Fisheries Co-operatives Federation, Mr. S.Thavaratnam. Mr.Thavaratnam had told Mr. Priyanka that trawlers from India and southern Sri Lanka are ransacking the northern sea resources and the latter visited Jaffna for discussions on the matter, federation sources said.

Later, Mr. Francis Priyanka visited the Jaffna prison and talked to the Indian fishermen who are in remand. Thirty-one Indian fishermen have been in remand in Jaffna prison, sources said.

Related Articles:
28.10.03   Indian boatmen released in Point Pedro
28.09.03   SLN arrests poaching Indian fishermen in northern sea
23.09.03   Nine Indians smugglers, fishermen remanded
24.08.03   36 Indian fishermen still held in Jaffna prison
08.08.03   Indian fishermen released, boatmen remanded
07.08.03   Jaffna fishermen capture Indian poachers
29.07.03   Sea Monitors meet with Jaffna fisheries representatives
29.07.03   Indian boatmen fast in Jaffna prison