38 fishermen of Tamil Nadu, released by Sri Lanka will be returning home tonight. The Indian fishermen will be handed over to Indian Coast Guard by Sri Lankan Navy at the international maritime boundary line. Then they will be brought to Karaikal private port near Nagapattinam in Indian Coast Guard ship.
These fishermen who were languishing in Lankan jail have been released on goodwill gesture by Lankan government. They will be brought to Karaikal port by Indian Coast Guard and then sent to their hamlets in Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram districts. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapady K Palanisamy had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week urging the release of 38 Tamil fishermen lodged in Lankan jail and 133 fishing boats detained by Sri Lanka. The fishermen are being released now as a result of diplomatic moves. Earlier Sri Lanka had released 76 Tamil Nadu fishermen last month. Local fishermen are urging the release of 133 fishing boats detained by Lanka as their livelihood is badly affected.