Indian boatmen fast in Jaffna prison

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2003, 04:31 GMT]
Four Indian boatmen who have been in remand since the middle of March this year in Jaffna prison began fasting Sunday evening, demanding their return to their country without delay, according to Jaffna prison authorities.

The acting Superintendent of the Jaffna prison, Mr.K.Sivasuntharam, Monday evening reported to the Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah, about the fasting by the four Indian boatmen for further action, court sources said.

These boatmen, along with other sixteen Indian fishermen, were arrested when they were poaching in the northern Sri Lankan territorial waters in March this year. Though the 16 fishermen were released and handed over to the Indian coast guard authorities in the mid sea by the Sri Lanka Navy on a court order, the 4 boatmen were produced in Jaffna courts and remanded, court sources said.

The four Indian boatmen began their fasting Sunday evening demanding that the Indian High Commission in Colombo should take immediate steps to send them back to their country without keeping them any more in Sri Lankan prisons, court sources said.

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