India gives consular access to its detained fishermen in Sri Lanka

Indian fishermen, apprehended in Sri Lanka for allegedly poaching in its territorial waters, have been provided consular assistance by the Consulate General of India in Jaffna, the Indian High Commission here said on Thursday.

The high commission said it was in touch with the Sri Lankan Government to facilitate the early release of the detained fishermen.

"High Commission @CGJaffna were provided Consular Access to Indian fishermen who are apprehended in Sri Lanka and extended all possible support to them. They were given essential daily use items and offered legal and other forms of assistance," it said in a tweet.

India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday held through video conferencing a meeting of the joint working group on fisheries and discussed the issues related to fishermen and the ways to overcome challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The Fourth Joint Working Group Meeting on Fisheries held in the usual cordial atmosphere, which marks India-Sri Lanka ties, concludes. Deliberation during the Meeting contributed to strengthening constructive cooperation between the two countries," the high commission tweeted on Wednesday.

Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other's waters.

During his five-day visit to India in February, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to resolve the long-festering fishermen issue with a "humane approach".