Nine Indian poachers to be repatriated

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 11:17 GMT]


Mannar Magistrate Mr.N.M.M.Abdullah Tuesday ordered the repatriation of nine of the twelve Indian poachers now in remand in Anuradhapura prison. He made this order on the written direction of the Attorney General, legal sources said.



The Sri Lanka Navy arrested all the 12 Indians including three boatmen when they were poaching in the Sri Lankan territorial waters in the Mannar Sea on 25th November this year. They were remanded on the orders of the Mannar Magistrate till December 26, legal sources said.

However the Attorney General sent a written direction to the Mannar Magistrate dated December 7th that nine of the 12 Indians should be sent back to India and other three Indians who are boatmen be remanded further, legal sources said.

The Mannar Magistrate Tuesday made order in the absence of the suspect Indians that nine Indians should be sent to Mirihana detention centre in the south enabling the civil authorities to make necessary arrangements to send them to India from Colombo, legal sources said.

Prison sources said the nine Indians would be sent to Mirihana detention centre from Anuradhapura prison on receipt of the court order.

The other three Indians who are boatmen now in Anuradhapura prison would be produced on December 26 in Mannar courts, prison sources said.