Eight TN fishermen released from Lanka

RAMANATHAPURAM: Eight Tamil Nadu fishermen who were detained by Lankan navy were released by the  Lankan courts on Friday. The released fishermen are Govindrajan, Nathan, Kumar, Arumugam, Karmegam, Muniyasamy, Alexander and Maslin of Rameswaram, said Arulanantham, state coordinator to Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF). Govindrajan, Nathan, Kumar and Arumugam of Rameswaram had ventured into sea for fishing on January 2 and a snag developed in their boat.They were stranded in mid sea when the Lankan navy surrounded them and detained them. They were taken to Thalaimannar later. Then, the four were produced before the Mannar court on January 5 which issued an order to keep them in custody. The four fishermen were produced before the same court on Friday which released them later. They are kept under naval custody in Mannar.Karmegam, Muniyasamy, Alexander and Maslin of Rameswaram, had set out to sea for fishing on January 4 and their boat developed a snag in mid sea. They were detained by Lankan navy for entering into their waters. The four fishermen were produced before Keits court which released them on Friday. They are presently under naval custody in Nedunthivu, he added.The fisheries department sources said that the list of salvage team and boats were being prepared to send them to Sri Lanka. Then, the two boats and eight fishermen would be handed over to the salvage team in International Maritime Border. The Indian Coast Guard would assist the salvage team.Ramnad Fishermen Token Stir TodayFishermen in Ramanathapuram have decided to launch a token strike on Sat    urday to protest the delay in release of five fishermen from Sri Lankan prison.Sources said that the Lankan navy is not ready to heed the words of fishermen and the Indian government and has resorted to indiscriminate attacks on Indian fishermen, whenever they cross the IMBL (International Maritime Boundary Line) for fishing.The five fishermen, including Emerson and Prasath, were detained by Lankan navy on November 28 and booked under narcotic smuggling case later.They have been produced before Mallagam court in Sri Lanka thrice, so far.The date of the next hearing is said to be held on January 16.