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 India had yesterday withdrawn the appeal filed in the Court of Appeal paving the way for Sri Lankan government to process the request for Presidential pardon.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.

Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, the local fishermen in Ramanathapuram district have welcomed the release of five Tamil fishermen. The fishermen in Tamil Nadu are rejoiced to hear the news of Presidential pardon being given to the five fishermen hailing from Thankachimadam Rameswaram. The families of the five fishermen were relieved and thanked profusely Prime Minister Narendra Modi, central and Tamil Nadu governments. The fishermen in the area were on strike from first of this month urging the release of these five fishermen languishing in Lankan jail since 2011.

The fishermen associations from coastal districts of Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Karaikal also joined the strike in solidarity. Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan met External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at Delhi with fishermen representatives from Tamil Nadu and top state BJP leaders on this issue. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Paneerselvam had urged Prime Minister’s direct intervention to ensure the release of Tamil fishermen. The local fishermen now hope that the centre will take steps to get back fishing boats of Tamils detained by Sri Lanka.