Six Sri Lankan fishermen along with their fishing vessels detained in the Andaman Islands of India will be freed on Wednesday, the state-run radio SLBC reported.
The fishermen have been produced in the courts in the Andaman Island today and the court has announced that they will be released on Wednesday, the national coordinator for obtaining release for fishermen and fishing vessels, Sirimal Bindu told the SLBC.
The fishermen who have left for fishing in March 2010 from Kalpitiya were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard and imprisoned in Andaman Islands. They have been detained for nearly two years.
Following a fast commenced by two Buddhist monks from Kalpitiya last October demanding the release of the fishermen arrested by the Indian Coast Guard, the Sri Lankan government took diplomatic measures to get Indian authorities to free the six fishermen.
The coordinator will be leaving for the Andaman Islands next Wednesday along with the boat owners to get the fishermen and the vessels released.
The Colombo Page, 2012