INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
MADURAI: Sri Lankan authorities on Saturday night released 22 dhow (country boat) fishermen from Tamil Nadu detained by them earlier in the
day on charges of poaching in their territorial waters after Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman intervened in the matter
The two dhows seized by the Lankan side were also released and the fishermen allowed to sail back on their crafts.Sitharaman had come to
the next day.Knowing about it, fishermen leaders led by the district president of Country Boat Fishermen Welfare Association SP Rayappan met
her and urged her to intervene in the matter.Sitharaman contacted officials of the external affairs ministry and urged them to step in
We were doubtful in the beginning but our fishermen called from Sri Lanka around midnight to tell us that they were released
The Sri Lankan Navy brought the released fishermen to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and handed them over to the Indian
Coast Guard.The fishing boats arrived at Pamban on Sunday afternoon much to the relief of boat owners Francis Cassier and K Raj as well as
Local BJP functionaries received them at the coast.Earlier, MDMK chief secretary Durai Vaiko condemned Lanka for arresting the 22 fishermen
