Lanka fishmen gets jail term

(August 29, Chenni, Sri Lanka Guardian) A court Ramanathapuram Thursday sentenced 28 Lankan fishermen to 12 weeks in prison for intruding into Indian territory two months ago.

Chief Judicial Magistrate S Ravi also ordered six of the fishermen to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 each.

The fishermen, hailing from Neer Kozhumbu area in Sri Lanka, were nabbed by Indian Coastguard personnel when they intruded into the Indian territory between Tuticorin and Kanyakumari.

They were handed over to Tuticorin Thermal Nagar Police station on June 21, 2008 which registered cases against them for crossing crossing the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) and entering Indian waters.

Following the verdict, the fishermen were taken to Madurai amid tight security and lodged in the Central Prison there. - Sri Lanka Guardian