24 Indian fishermen remanded in judicial custody in Sri Lanka
In a move that could spark fresh outrage in India, a Sri Lankan court today remanded another 24 Indian fishermen, accused of fishing ''illegally'' in the country's waters, in judicial custody until March 1.
The fishermen, who were produced before a Magistrate court in Jaffna, were remanded in judicial custody until March 1, the sources said.
The detention of 24 fishermen took the total number of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody this week to 136.
Reacting to the incident, India today conveyed its "deep concern" over the detention of fishermen and asked the Sri Lankan government to take "necessary" steps to get them released.
"I have just had a telephonic conversation with the Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka (G L Peiris) and I have conveyed India's deep concern at the detention of nearly 136 fishermen in Jaffna district," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in New Delhi.
136 Indian fishermen are currently in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities out of which 112 were caught on last Tuesday by a group of local fishermen and handed over to the police there. This has triggered protests in Tamil Nadu, where the fishermen hailed from.
All the 112 fishermen were produced before a Point Pedro Magistrate court in Jaffna yesterday and remanded to judicial custody until February 28.
Local fishermen apprehended 24 another fishermen along with their seven fishing boats and handed them over to Ilawalai police last night, taking the total number to 136. "I have also conveyed my deep regret that Sri Lankan nationals and Sri Lankan fishermen have taken law into their own hands and confronted our fishermen," Krishna said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said yesterday that India takes a "very serious view" of the Sri Lankan Navy apprehending Indian fishermen and would be taking up the matter with the Lankan government.
Singh said the Sri Lankan government has already been told in strong terms that such a behaviour was not acceptable. "I have been told that 118 fishermen have been taken into custody. We are taking up this matter with the Sri Lankan Government. We take a very serious view," he had said.
The arrests had triggered protests in Tamil Nadu where over 5,000 DMK workers, including party MPs Kanimozhi and T K S Elangovan, were arrested yesterday when they tried to take out a rally to Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission protesting the alleged abduction of over 100 Indian fishermen to Sri Lanka.
India had last month accused the Sri Lankan Navy of killing at least two Indian fishermen. The incident had triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity between the two south Asian neighbours following which Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao visited Colombo to seek assurances to prevent such incidents in future.
