140 fasting fishermen in SL jails withdraw 2 day fast

: About 140 Indian fishermen who were on a two-day fast in Sri Lankan prisons, demanding that they be released along with their boats, withdrew it late last night following a request from various fishermen's associations, official sources said.

S Emerit, President of 'Meenavar Meenava Nala Sangam' (Fishermen's welfare association), said the fishermen lodged in jails in Jaffna and Anuradhapuram agreed to withdraw their fast only after they were assured that action would be taken to release them.

The fishermen were arrested over a period of time for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in the island nation's territorial waters.