Sri Lanka on Monday released all 66 Tamil Nadu fishermen in its custody, as part of a swap deal with Tamil Nadu, which had released all 30 Lankan fishermen in its custody.

But 15 fishermen from Karaikal in Puducherry are still in custody as they had not been included in the swap deal between India and Sri Lanka.  

Following the Lankan Attorney General’s order to release all TN fishermen, the Point Pedro Magistrate in Jaffna district, released 28 of the 43 fishermen produced before him on Monday.

The 28 released were from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. Late in the evening, the Kayts island magistrate turned his residence into a court, and released another batch of 38 TN fishermen.

The remaining 15 are from Karaikal in Puduchery. They have not been released because the swap agreement involved only Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka and not any other state in India.

Consequently, the 10 Lankan fishermen in Andhra Pradesh jails will continue to be in custody.

Sources in Point Pedro told Express that the 15 fishermen from Karaikal who were left out had threatened to go on fast demanding release. Neither  Lanka nor India has made any commitment on the release of the captured boats. Lanka is holding 87 Indian boats (from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry).

(TNIE)