Daijiworld Media Network - Amaravati

Amaravati, Sep 30: After spending 52 days in a Sri Lankan jail, four fishermen from Andhra Pradesh returned home to Kakinada on Tuesday, following a successful intervention by the TDP-led coalition government and coordination between Indian and Sri Lankan authorities.

The fishermen — K. Srinu Venkateswar, Karri Nookaraj Borriya, Chanda Nageswara Rao, and Brahmanandam — had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on August 4, after their fishing trawler accidentally drifted into Sri Lankan waters due to a GPS navigation error. They were lodged in Jaffna Jail and released following a court order on September 12.

The incident occurred when the fishermen had gone to Nagapattinam to purchase a second-hand trawler. On their return journey, technical issues led them off course into Sri Lankan territory, where they were apprehended on charges of illegal entry.

Their return was facilitated by efforts led by Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries K. Atchannaidu, Kakinada MP Uday Srinivas, and officials from AP Bhavan and the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Resident Commissioner Arja Srikanth also coordinated with the Indian Coast Guard to ensure smooth repatriation.

The Sri Lankan Coast Guard officially handed the fishermen over to their Indian counterparts at Mandapam Camp on September 26. From there, they traveled by sea and were welcomed in Kakinada by MP Uday Srinivas and MLA Kondababu.

Speaking on their return, the fishermen thanked the Andhra government for acting swiftly. Officials noted that without timely intervention, the men could have remained jailed for up to six months.

Minister Atchannaidu, who had briefed chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, expressed relief and satisfaction over the safe return of the fishermen, praising the coordinated efforts that brought them home.