13 Indian fishermen return to Chennai after facing detention in Sri Lanka

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13 fishermen Tamil Nadu who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing outside the approved boundaries, returned home to India on Thursday after being handed over by the Indian Embassy in Colombo.

The group of fishermen were arrested on February 26, and were produced in Mallakam court in Sri Lanka, kept imprisoned for nearly a month. Additionally, three fishermen were also admitted to a government hospital in Sri Lanka due to sustaining injuries.

The Sri Lankan court had reportedly released the 13 fishermen on March 12 after talks between the two sides.

Flights tickets from Colombo (Sri Lanka's capital) to Chennai were arranged for the fishermen, sending them to India after issuing temporary passports to them.

After arriving at the Chennai airport, all the fishermen were brought out after completing all checks like citizenship check and customs check.

Notably, one fisherman, who was hit on the leg earlier, was picked up early and taken to a private hospital in Chennai for treatment. While the remaining 12 fishermen were brought out. Officials of the Department from the Karaikal area welcomed them and took them to the Karaikal area in a separate vehicle.

Earlier on March 18, a group of three fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area.

The arrested have been identified as A Shankar (53), M Arjunan (35), and S Murugesan (49).

The fishermen, who had received their fishing permits on March 17, were reportedly told by the Sri Lankan Navy that they had crossed the maritime border. The captured boat, IND-TN-10-MM-496, belongs to Thangachimadam Kennedy. Authorities are currently investigating the three men.

According to NJ Bose, the State Secretary of the Fishermen's Association, the arrest has stirred considerable turmoil, as the fishermen had just set out from the Rameswaram fishing port along with 403 other boats.