15 Indian fishermen return from Sri Lanka

A total of 15 Indian fishermen, who were in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities, today reached Karaikal, while Indian Coast Guard handed over 10 Lankan fishermen and two of their boats to the Island's Coast Guard.

Coast Guard ship ICGS Rajdhwaj received the Indian fishermen from Lankan authorities near the Indo Lankan Maritime Boundary Line at around 1.30 pm today and handed them over to fisheries officials at Karaikal at 7 pm, an official release said.

The ship also handed over 10 Lankan fishermen and their two boats, which were released from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, it said.

The respective Coast Guards have repatriated a total of 1,112 Indian fishermen and 165 boats and 423 Lankan fishermen and 60 boats in 2014, it added.