Valvettithurai fishermen remanded pending AG report

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 January 2004, 16:57 GMT]
The Mallakam Magistrate Ms Sarojini Ilangovan Saturday ordered two weeks' remand for the four fishermen of Athikoviladi in Valvettithurai when the Kankesanthurai police produced them in court on a report from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) that the suspects had been arrested when trespassing in the Kankesanthurai sea area Friday morning, legal sources said.

The SLN arrested the four fishermen Mr.Thangalingam Puvaneswran, Mr.Thangalingam Sritharan, Mr.Puvaneswaran Chandramohan and Mr.K.Haridas Friday morning in the northern sea when they had gone to recover the lost fishing gear, legal sources said.

The Mallakam Magistrate directed the Jaffna prison authorities to keep the four fishermen in remand in Jaffna prison till February 6 till a report from the Attorney general is received, legal sources said.

Fisheries societies' spokesperson said that the four fishermen had been taken into custody by the SLN when they had gone to sea to locate the lost fishing gear Thursday, sources said.