Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) Leader and Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Minister Douglas Devananda has told the media that the Indian fishermen have accepted their fault and have sought a pardon from the Sri Lankan authorities.
He made this statement after visiting the Indian fishermen who were arrested by the Point Pedro police in Jaffna Tuesday evening. According to Devananda, the Indian fishermen have asked the local authorities to facilitate their return to India.
Sri Lankan fishermen yesterday intercepted a group of Indian fishermen from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu state of India and arrested 112 of the group. They also seized 18 Indian trawlers.
The Indian fishermen have been escorted and handed over to Point Pedro police. Jaffna Magistrate Court today remanded the 112 fishermen for 14 days when they were produced in the court.
The Sri Lankan Navy had watched the developments taking place but did not intervene as the local fishermen rounded up the intruders and seized their trawlers after they were caught fishing in Sri Lankan waters, naval sources said.
Meanwhile, Indian authorities have arrested over 1,000 people including the daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Parliamentarian, K. Kanimozhi along with two other members of parliament during a protest staged outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai today against the detention of the Indian fishermen.
Indian officials have launched diplomatic efforts to secure an early release of the fishermen, media reports said.
Local Tamil fishermen, who are getting impatient over the Indian fishermen constantly intruding into Sri Lankan waters and depleting their aquatic livelihood resources, are taking the law into their own hands, authorities say.
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