The Sri Lankan Government has ordered the release of 51 Tamil Nadu fishermen who were arrested for trespassing into the island nation waters. The fishermen are expected to return home in two days.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue at the ‘highest diplomatic level’, besides ensuring fishermen’s safety and security.

Panneerselvam requested Modi to secure the immediate release of 61 fishermen and 116 fishing boats without any delay.

AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala too on Thursday urged the Sri Lankan Government to release the fishermen from Tamil Nadu, languishing in prisons, as a goodwill gesture during the Pongal festival.

Sri Lanka had agreed to release 51 fishermen and consider returning a large number of fishing boats in its custody.

Also, they have decided to release 10 more fishermen arrested recently. This was decided during a ministerial-level meeting of Sri Lanka and India held in Colombo.

The fishermen, jailed in various prisons in Lanka, will be produced in the courts today and then released. They would be handed over to the Indian Embassy at Colombo, who, in turn, would hand over them to the Indian Coast Guard.