Point Pedro Magistrate Ponnathurai Krishanthan has ordered ordered the release of 12 Indian fishermen who were arrested and remanded for fishing in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka.

The magistrate had ordered the release of the concerned fishermen under a suspended sentence of 1 1/2 – 10 years and forbade them from entering the Sri Lankan waters again.

The fishermen, who were released on strict conditions, are to be handed over to the Indian coastguard security officials through the Indian Consulate General in Jaffna with the help of the Navy.