A court in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, has ordered the release of three Sri Lankan fishermen, arrested on October 22, 2016, for allegedly straying into Indian territorial waters off Dhanushkodi, PTI said.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Jayaraj passed the order accepting a letter sent by the Tamil Nadu government through the District Collector based on a recommendation by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for release of the fishermen, police said today.

The Centre's recommendation came in the backdrop of an agreement reached during the ministerial-level talks between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo on January 2-3 to set free the fishermen detained by both the countries.

The three Sri Lankan fishermen had strayed into Indian waters off Arichalmunai near Dhanushkodi after their boat ran out of fuel. They were arrested and later lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai.

They would be released from the prison later today and would be repatriated to Sri Lanka, police added.