The seventy seven fishermen from Tamil Nadu released from Sri Lankan jail returned home on Thursday evening. The fishermen were released by Sri Lankan courts as goodwill gesture. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalithaa had written several letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and secure the release of fishermen and their boats.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the 77 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were welcomed with joy by their family members and local fisheries authorities. Seven fishermen from Pudukottai, 22 fishermen from Nagapattinam and 48 fishermen from Ramanathapuram were brought to Karaikal private port by Indian Coast Guard. The fishermen were received by Nagapattinam district collector Palanisamy and were sent to their fishing hamlets. <br/><br/>The local fishermen are urging the government to secure the immediate release of 102 fishing boats detained by Sri Lanka. With tears in their eyes they say that their livelihood is badly affected as the fishing boats are kept unused in Lanka. <br/><br/>The distance between Indian waters and Lankan waters is just a few kilometers that fishermen from Tamil Nadu cross over to get a better fish catch. Sri Lankan Navy apprehends these fishermen at the international maritime boundary line and detains fishing boats as a deterrent measure.

The seventy seven fishermen from Tamil Nadu released from Sri Lankan jail returned home on Thursday evening. The fishermen were released by Sri Lankan courts as goodwill gesture. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalithaa had written several letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and secure the release of fishermen and their boats.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the 77 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were welcomed with joy by their family members and local fisheries authorities. Seven fishermen from Pudukottai, 22 fishermen from Nagapattinam and 48 fishermen from Ramanathapuram were brought to Karaikal private port by Indian Coast Guard. The fishermen were received by Nagapattinam district collector Palanisamy and were sent to their fishing hamlets. <br/><br/>The local fishermen are urging the government to secure the immediate release of 102 fishing boats detained by Sri Lanka. With tears in their eyes they say that their livelihood is badly affected as the fishing boats are kept unused in Lanka. <br/><br/>The distance between Indian waters and Lankan waters is just a few kilometers that fishermen from Tamil Nadu cross over to get a better fish catch. Sri Lankan Navy apprehends these fishermen at the international maritime boundary line and detains fishing boats as a deterrent measure.