16 Indian fishermen to be released: Minister

13 September 2015 10:31 am

Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said today that sixteen Indian fishermen arrested recently for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters will be released tomorrow (14).

Meanwhile, Indian media reported that the Indian fishermen will be released in as a goodwill gesture to mark Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's first foreign visit to India.

The reports said quoting Prime Minister's Office that a fishing organisation in Tamil Nadu had made an appeal to the government to consider the medical condition of the arrested fishermen.

The fishermen are to be released on humanitarian grounds, it further said.

However Minister Amaraweera said there was no special reason. “The released is not related to the PM’s visit to India. The process to release the Indian fishermen has been taking place several times and this is just one of them” he said.

In March, Sri Lanka ordered the release of 86 Indian fishermen arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters as a goodwill gesture to mark Modi's visit and after, President Maithripala Sirisena ordered the release of 54 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu in April. (Darshana Sanjeewa)