Sri Lanka has released the five Indian fishermen who were convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to death by Colombo High Court. The fishermen have been handed over to Indian Officials and are being brought from Welikada prison to the Indian High Commission.

India had pressed for a pardon and release of the fishermen since it believed that the evidence in the case showed that the fishermen were innocent. India had yesterday withdrawn the appeal filed in the Court of Appeal paving the way for Sri Lankan government to process the request for Presidential pardon. The five fishermen- Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet – were arrested in 2011.