Arrested Lankan fishermen remanded in India

The seven Sri Lankan fishermen, who were apprehended by Indian Coast Guard personnel attached to Thoothukudi Station of Tamil Nadhu on Tuesday after crossing International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), were remanded in custody till April 20, the Hindu reported.

The ICG personnel handed them over to Coastal Security Group (CSG) personnel on Thursday morning. ICG Ship ‘Vaibhav’, during its exclusive economic zone security patrol operation, spotted them at about 150 nautical miles off Kanyakumari coast around 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

ICGS Aadesh, another patrol vessel in the fleet, sailed from Thoothukudi ICG station and escorted them to Thoothukudi coast.They were taken to Tharuvaikulam marine police station for inquiries, sources said. Tharuvaikulam marine police registered a case against them under Section 3/10 of the Maritime Zones of India Act.

The CSG personnel produced them before Judicial Magistrate II A. Kannan in Ramanathapuram late on Thursday evening. The judge remanded them in custody till April 20. They were taken to Chennai to be lodged in Puzhal Central Prison.

The detained fishermen were identified as Dinesh Kumar Fernando (35), Warnakulasooriya Antony Tiresa (27), Warnakulasooriya Sumith Fernando (28), Wijesinha Sisirakumara (36), Demodara Chandra Athanayaka (25), Chamika Athanaulza (22) and Dinesh Shanka Fernando, sources said.