Amaravati, Sep 28 (IANS) Four fishermen from Andhra Pradesh, who were released after 52 days of detention at the Jaffna Jail in Sri Lanka, will return home on September 30.
The boat carrying the fishermen sailed from the Sri Lankan shore for Kakinada on September 27.
K. Srinu Venkateswar, Karri Nookaraj Borriya, Chanda Nageswara Rao and Brahmanandam were handed over to Indian authorities on Friday.
They were deported following efforts by the state government officials in Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi.
The Sri Lankan Coast Guard handed over the fishermen to the Indian Coast Guard at Mandapam Camp on September 26, and from there they left for Kakinada.
According to information reaching here, the fishermen were repatriated through sea route as per the Sri Lankan rules. The Indian Coast Guard unit was escorting them to Kakinada.
The fishermen had sailed to Nagapattinam to purchase a second-hand fishing trawler, but while returning home, they drifted in Sri Lankan waters due to a GPS error.
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested the fishermen on August 4, and since then, they have been lodged in the Jaffna Jail.
A civil court in Jafna on September 12 had ordered the release of Andhra fishermen. As per the court order, the fishermen were handed over at the International Maritime Boundary Line.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo initiated efforts for their return after AP Bhavan took up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs.
According to Rajya Sabha member Sana Satishbabu, ICG took up the matter with the attention of Sri Lankan Coast Guard Commander Dinesh Jay.
However, procedural delays stalled the repatriation of the fishermen till September 26.
The High Commission posted that it secured safe repatriation of four fishermen in close cooperation with the government of Sri Lanka and with the support of the Indian and Sri Lankan Navies and Coast Guards.
–IANS
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