Sri Lanka has released the five Indian fishermen who were convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court.
According to media reports, the fishermen were handed over to Indian High Commission officials, and were being brought from the Welikada Prison to the Indian High Commission.
Earlier, the Indian Government 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.
On Tuesday, India had withdrawn the appeal filed in the Court of Appeal paving the way for Sri Lankan Government to process the request for a presidential pardon. The five fishermen - Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet - were arrested in 2011.
In Tamil Nadu, fishermen in Ramanathapuram District welcomed news of the release of the five Tamil fishermen, who hailed from Thankachimadam Rameswaram. The families of the five fishermen were relieved and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the central and Tamil Nadu governments.
The fishermen in the area were on strike from November 1, over a demand for 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 Panneerselvam 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.
DMK President M Karunanidhi also welcomed the release the five fishermen.
Speaking to newspersons in Chennai, he said he was very happy to hear the news.
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