Sri Lanka releases five Indian fishermen on death row: Reports

[StormShadow]

Chennai: The five Indian fishermen, who were sentenced to death on charges of drug trafficking, have been released by the Sri Lankan authorities, reports stated on Wednesday.




A few days back, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa had assured India that he was ready to pardon the five Indian fishermen, a statement issued by Minister Prabha Ganesan told Indian High Commission officials in Colombo.

The Deputy Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology was quoted as saying that President Rajapaksa was pushing for the withdrawal of the Indian appeal as that would drag the case for up to six months, delaying presidential pardon.

The Colombo High Court had on October 30 had sentenced the five fishermen from Tamil Nadu - P Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath, and J Lanklet - to death on charges of smuggling 995 grams of heroin.

They were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for heroin trafficking in 2011.

The appeal filed against the Colombo High Court judgment was dismissed by a two-judge Appellate Court Bench comprising of Justices Vijith K. Malalgoda and AHMD. Nawaz, after the counsel appearing for the five fishermen said they have decided to withdraw it.

Sri Lanka, according to the Colombo Page web site, was exploring ways to free the Indian fishermen.

Sri Lanka releases five Indian fishermen on death row: Reports | Zee News

 

[Gibbs]

All credit need to go to Dr. Subramaniam Swarmy.. His untiring efforts got them commuted to life.. Lets see what drama all those terror loving dumb jokers in Madras would come up with now ? They would need another reason to set themselves on fire now

 

[SarthakGanguly]

This is good news. Thanks.

 

[ito]

Good sign for better relations between india and sl

 

[harpoon]

All credit need to go to Dr. Subramaniam Swarmy.. His untiring efforts got them commuted to life.. Lets see what drama all those terror loving dumb jokers in Madras would come up with now ? They would need another reason to set themselves on fire now

The Tamil radical parties in TN is a liability eventhough they are fringe elements even in TN.

 

[Gibbs]

The Tamil radical parties in TN is a liability eventhough they are fringe elements even in TN.

Well they have enough reasons to throw hissy fits..

Celebrate Prabhakaran's 60th birth anniversary: Vaiko - Yahoo Maktoob News

Chennai, Nov 19 (IANS) MDMK leader Vaiko Wednesday called for grand celebrations Nov 26 to mark the 60th birth anniversary of the slain Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Vaiko urged people to burst crackers and offer special prayers at 7.18 p.m. -- which he said was the birth time of Prabhakaran.

The celebrations should take place wherever Tamils live around the world, he said in a statement. It should "echo the cause of Tamil Eelam", he said.

Prabhakaran was born into a middle class family in the coastal town of Velvettiturai in Jaffna peninsula on the northern tip of Sri Lanka.

He founded a militant group called Tamil New Tigers in 1972 and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1976, and waged a prolonged war to secede the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan military killed Prabhakaran in May 2009 in a blitzkrieg that also reportedly claimed the lives of thousands of rebels as well as civilians.

The LTTE, accused of assassinating former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, has been outlawed in India since 1992.

 

[Krate M]

Good news. Now Indian government should investigate if they were involved in smuggling and if guilty punish them.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Told you guys...nothing going to happen.

 

[SrNair]

Thank you SriLanka.You just averted a possible political storm in the TN and New Delhi.

 

[JanjaWeed]

Good job by the central govt....got the job done without making much noise... & both the dravidian parties down in the south must be kicking themselves for not being able to take credit.. & one less emotive issue to rake up again & again!