Karaikal: Sixteen Indian fishermen, released by Sri Lanka after being arrested on charge of entering the island nation waters, Wednesday arrived at the port here.
The fishermen, belonging to Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai and Nagapattinam districts of Tamil Nadu, were repatriated by Indian Coast Guard onboard its ship after Sri Lankan Navy handed them over at the International Maritime Boundary Line.
They were received at the Port here, near Nagapattinam, this evening by Assistant Director of Fisheries Sivakumar and other officials. Later, they were sent to their homes.
Sri Lanka has ordered the release of the fishermen, arrested on September 1, as a “goodwill gesture” ahead of the ongoing visit of its Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to India.