RAMESHWARAM (The Hindu) - The Sri Lankan government has released 22 fishermen hailing from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, who were detained on November 18 by the Navy personnel on charges of poaching. The two seized country boats belonging to the fishermen have also been released, Rayappan, president, the country boat fishermen association, told journalists in Rameswaram on November 19.

According to him, a fishermen’s delegation had met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on November 18 evening and briefed her about the arrest. 

She spoke with the External Affairs Secretary in New Delhi and also with the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka seeking their intervention to get the fishermen and their boats freed.

The Sri Lankan government has issued an order releasing all the 22 fishermen and the two country boats, he said. He thanked the Minister for her intervention.

According to the information available, the arrested fishermen were being handed over at the IMBL by the Sri Lankan authorities and were being brought back home. “We are planning to meet the Central Minister with our families,” Mr Rayappan added.