SLN takes charge of Indian fishing boats

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 11:18 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Saturday took charge of five Indian fishing boats, which were captured by Point Pedro fishermen from poachers last week in the northern waters, on the orders of Point Pedro Magistrate Mr.K. Ariyanayakam, legal sources said.

The Sri Lanka Army had been keeping these boats under its custody along the shore of Polikandy and Inbaruty in Vadamarachchi division in Jaffna district since the local fishermen handed over these boats to the Police, sources said.

Altogether more than sixty Indian fishing boats with fishing gear seized by local fishermen from the poachers in the northern sea are currently in the custody of the SLN base at Kankesanthurai in Jaffna district, sources said.

Five Indian boatmen have been remanded in the Jaffna prison on the orders of the Point Pedro Magistrate.

Altogether about 65 Indian fishermen have been kept in the Jaffna remand prison and cases against sixteen of them have been filed in the Jaffna High Court. Police have been waiting for the instruction from the Attorney General to file cases against the rest, legal sources said.