56 released fishermen shifted to Colombo immigration centre

 The 56 Indian fishermen, released by Sri Lankan court in northern Jaffna peninsula last month, will be shifted to an immigration detention center here on Monday after completing their Covid quarantine period, the prison authorities said.

Prison Superintendent and Spokesman Chandana Ekanayake told on Sunday that the Indian fishermen have spent the isolation period in the prison-run Covid-19 quarantine centre in Iyakkachchi in the Northern Province since their release on January 25.

“Some of them were found Covid positive, now their quarantine period has ended,” Ekanayake said, adding that they would be moved to an immigration detention center in Colombo on Monday.

A court on January 25 ordered the release of 56 Indian fishermen who were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in the island nation’s territorial waters in mid-December in the seas south of Mannar.

The fishermen were arrested on two separate days. Their 10 trawlers have been seized. The court’s order for their release came as the Indian authorities urged Sri Lanka to release them on humanitarian grounds in the backdrop of economic assistance talks that were ongoing at the time. Meanwhile, sources in the northern fishing department said the 21 Indian fishermen arrested on February 1 will be produced in court.