Sri Lanka releases Indian fishermen (Lead, changing dateline)
February 18th, 2011 - 9:04 pm ICT by IANSChennai, Feb 18 (IANS) All the 136 Indian fishermen detained early this week by Sri Lanka for straying into its waters were released Friday. Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has detained four Sri Lankan fishermen and their boat for entering into Indian waters off the Rameswaram coast, an official said. The 136 Indian fishermen were released by a Jaffna court and are expected to reach home later Friday.
The mass scale arrest of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka has created a major uproar in the country and India has conveyed its deep concern to the island nation.
The fishermen hailing form Akkaraipettai and Keechankuppam villages had gone fishing on Feb 12 and did not return home.
The Indian fishermen were earlier detained by the island nation’s fishermen on the charge of straying into their territorial waters.
With assembly elections around the corner, the ruling DMK and opposition parties held statewide protests demanding freeing of the Indian fishermen.
Last month, two Indian fishermen were killed by the Sri Lankan Navy forcing India to send Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to convey India’s concern and seek the island nation’s assurance that such attacks do not recur.
- Freed Indian fishermen reach home - Feb 19, 2011
- Sri Lanka frees all Indian fishermen after EAM steps in - Feb 18, 2011
- Krishna expresses India's concern at detention of fishermen by Lankan Navy - Feb 17, 2011
- India, Sri Lanka to discuss attacks on fishermen: Krishna (Lead) - Feb 23, 2011
- Mobile phones to warn fishermen straying into Sri Lankan waters - Feb 18, 2011
- India, Sri Lanka to discuss attacks on fishermen: Krishna - Feb 23, 2011
- India concerned, hopes Sri Lanka will free arrested fishermen - Feb 17, 2011
- Over 100 Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka - Feb 16, 2011
- Jayalalithaa seeks PM's help to free fishermen (Lead) - Jun 21, 2011
- Sri Lanka releases 136 Indian fishermen - Feb 18, 2011
- Rao heads to Colombo Sunday over fishermen's killings - Jan 28, 2011
- Tamil Nadu fishermen's team to visit Sri Lanka March - Feb 26, 2011
- 24 more Indian fishermen arrested in Sri Lanka - Feb 17, 2011
- 18 Indian fishermen rescued by Sri Lankan navy - Dec 22, 2011
- DMK leaders court arrest during anti-Sri Lanka protest - Feb 16, 2011
Tags: assembly elections, chennai, dmk, fishing, India, indian fishermen, indian navy, indian waters, island nation, mass scale, opposition parties, rameswaram coast, rao, sri lanka, sri lankan navy, statewide protests, territorial waters, uproar