The Union Government would take all measures to ensure the release of the five fishermen from Rameshwaram who were sentenced to death by a court in Sri lanka on charges of drug trafficking. This was conveyed to the members of their families who called on Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road, Highways and Shipping at Rameshwaram on Tuesday.
“I have spoken to Sushma Swaraj, Minister for External Affairs about this unfortunate incident. She has taken up the matter with officials in the Indian High Commission in Colombo and have been asked to hold talks with officials in the Sri lankan Government to secure the release the fishermen,” Gadkari told them.Gadkari also said that he would take up the matter with both Swaraj as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the early release of the fishermen. “We will study the matter in detail and hold discussions with officials and later discuss it in the Cabinet,” he said.
Gadkari said the Centre is also taking steps to find a permanent solution to the vexed problem of harassment of Tamil Nadu fishermen, allegedly by Sri lankan Navy.A single bench of the Colombo High Court last week sentenced the five fishermen from Rameshwaram and three Sinhala youths to death on charges of trafficking heroin to Sri lanka. They were arrested by the Sri lankan Navy in November 2011 from Delf islet near Jaffna along with 995 grams heroin. According to the prosecution charge, the five youth from Rameshwaram brought the heroin to the Sri lankan shores and the three Sinhala youth helped them to take the contraband to pre destined locations.
The judge who sentenced them to death had given time till November 14 for appeal against the verdict. The relations of the five fishermen allege that the charges were foisted on them by the Sri lankan authorities.