Colombo, Feb 9 (PTI) The 56 Indian fishermen arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly poaching in the country’s territorial waters have been moved to the immigration centre here after they completed their mandatory quarantine period, a top prison official said on Wednesday.
They have been moved to the Mirihana detention centre, prison commissioner and spokesman Chandana Ekanayake told PTI.
The 56 Indian fishermen — who were arrested in December-mid by the Sri Lanka Navy — were freed by a Sri Lankan court in the northern Jaffna peninsula last month.
However, most of them tested positive for the COVID-19 and were quarantined at a centre in the north.
Since their arrest in December, two more batches of Indian fishermen have been arrested by Sri Lanka. All of them have been remanded until February 21 and 22, according to the fisheries department.
The arrests of Indian fishermen come as the local immigration officials are making arrangements to repatriate the 56 Indian fishermen.
The arrests of Indians and the local fishermen’s agitations seeking government action to stop Indian fishing boats have expanded over the last fortnight.
In the north, fisher organisations have said that two of their colleagues had been harmed by the Indians and their bodies were found in the seas.
Fisher unions staged a demonstration near the fisheries ministry.
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission here on Wednesday said that it has seen several reports and statements on the auctioning of Indian fishing vessels in Sri Lanka.
In a statement, it said: At the outset, it is stressed that there is an existing bilateral understanding between the Government of India and Government of Sri Lanka on the matter .
In accordance with this understanding, a team from the state of Tamil Nadu, India was to visit Sri Lanka regarding modalities to finalise disposal of unsalvageable Indian fishing boats in Sri Lanka.
The High Commission has recently again sought necessary clearance from the Government of Sri Lanka for the visit, it said in the statement.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in ties between the two countries.
The issue of fishermen also figured in the talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan counterpart G L Peiris in New Delhi on Monday.
There have been several alleged incidents of Sri Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats.
The Palk Strait, which is a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.