The Sri Lankan government has handed over 55 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy to the Indian High Commission after they were released by a Lankan court.

An official press release by the Tamil Nadu government claimed that the fishermen were released because of the persistence of the Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

A total of 104 fishermen from Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Chief Minister had written letters to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their release.

In the first phase, 55 fishermen had been released and the rest of them would be released in a few days. Tamil Nadu had made all arrangements to bring the freed fishermen to the State.