A total of 97 Indian fishermen are currently in the custody of Sri Lanka, of which 83 are serving sentences, three awaiting trial and 11 were apprehended on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha.
Replying to supplementaries during question hour, Jaishankar said India is trying to engage with Sri Lanka to take a humanitarian approach to the issue, even as the Centre is finding long-term ways, including installing transponders on fishing boats, to ensure that such a situation does not recur.
Jaishankar said the decisions which were taken in 1974 and 1976 are today the root cause of the situation the country is facing.
“Right now the situation is that till yesterday there were 86 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody. Today, one more trawler has been apprehended and so 11 more fishermen. All together, 97 of them are in custody. Eighty three are serving sentences, three are awaiting trial and 11 have been apprehended today,” he informed the Upper House