All 23 fishermen arrive safe

RAMANATHAPURAM/COLOMBO: The 23 fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy on June 20 and released on Wednesday arrived safely at Mandapam on Thursday.The fishermen were abducted by the Sri Lankan navy on charges of trespassing into Lankan waters and were lodged at the Anurathapuram prison after being producing at the Mannar court. Following sustained efforts by the State government and the Centre, the Lankan government released them on Wednesday.    Earlier, the fishermen, who were released by a Sri Lankan magistrate in Anuradhapura on Wednesday, were handed over to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at the international maritime boundary line (IMBL), off Talaimannar on Thursday.The fishermen, along with their boats, were then taken to the IMBL by the Lankan navy and handed over to the (ICG) mid-sea. An ICG ship escorted the five mechanised boats till they reached the ICG base at Mandapam. Markandeyan, assistant director for fisheries, Rames­waram, received the 23 fishermen from the ICG personnel at Mandapam. They were reunited with their family members later. Vinoth, one of the released fishermen, thanked Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on behalf of the entire fishing community for making efforts to secure their release.