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16 Indian Fishermen Released from Sri Lankan Jail, Return to Chennai via IndiGo Flight
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News18•03-10-2026, 15:51
16 Indian Fishermen Released from Sri Lankan Jail, Return to Chennai via IndiGo Flight
- •16 Indian fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, released from a Sri Lankan jail, have returned to Chennai via an IndiGo flight.
- •11 fishermen were arrested on August 5, and another 9 on August 12, by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing maritime borders.
- •A Sri Lankan court fined each of the 20 fishermen Rs 50,000; 16 were released after paying the fine.
- •Four fishermen who could not afford to pay the fine are still in a Sri Lankan jail.
- •Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for diplomatic intervention to resolve the long-standing issue.
Key Questions Answered
A total of 16 Indian fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, who were previously held in a Sri Lankan jail, were released and returned to Chennai via an IndiGo flight after receiving emergency travel documents from the Indian Embassy.
The Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested the fishermen on charges of crossing the maritime border while they were out fishing in motorized boats from Rameswaram.
The Sri Lankan court fined each of the 20 arrested fishermen Rs 50,000, ruling that they could be released after paying the amount. While 16 fishermen were released after their fines were paid, four fishermen from the second group remain in jail because they could not afford the fine.
