Following an order issued by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to release all Indian fishermen in custody as a gesture of goodwill to mark India’s 68th Independence Day, 74 fishermen were released in Jaffna yesterday.

The Sri Lankan authorities are expected to release a twenty more today.

All the 94 fishermen are likely to be repatriated to India by sea on Saturday or Sunday after the Sri Lankan navy and the Indian Coast Guard make the necessary arrangements, officials said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday ordered the release of all the fishermen in the Sri Lankan custody in respect of The Indian Independence day.  

At present the fishermen are being looked after by the Jaffna-based Indian Consulate General.

The Sri Lankan Government are still keeping the boats which the fishermen crossed international waters.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday called for a permanent solution to the problem of the fishermen of India and Sri Lanka.  The president made this plea when the Indian High Commissioner, Y K Sinha, called on him to thank for releasing all the 94 fishermen in Lankan custody to mark India’s Independence Day.

President has told the Indian High Commissioner that he is “concerned “about the impact of the current situation on the lives of the fishermen, and also the environment, and called for a “ permanent solution” of the problem for the betterment of the livelihood of the fishermen and the marine environment.

The Indian High Commissioner told the President that the Sri Lankan government’s policies are “very investor-friendly,” and that there is a “lot” of Indo-Lankan economic cooperation. (with inputs from The New Indian Express)