42 Of 64 Tamil Nadu Fishermen Arrested In October Released By Sri Lanka

Fishermen association leader P Jesu Raja today (13 November) stated that 42 of the 64 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy between 14 October and 28 October have been released and are likely to return in around four days, reported The Hindu.

The remaining 24 fishermen are expected to be released after a court hearing on 15 November, he said. The boats, 10 in number, have not been released.

On 31 October, a delegation comprising Raja, senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP TR Baalu and Ramanathapuram MP K Nawaz Kani met Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, urging him to ensure their quick release.

Speaking after the meeting, Raja had then stated the delegation sought a permanent solution to the issue. He also said that since 2018, 133 boats had been seized by Sri Lanka and the government should work on retrieving the boats or give them compensation.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai thanked External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar and Muraleedharan for their efforts towards the release of the arrested fishermen.