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Kakinada: Four Telugu fishermen, including three from Andhra Pradesh and one from Yanam of Puducherry Union Territory, have been released by a Sri Lankan court, after their fishing vessel allegedly drifted across the International Maritime Boundary Line, said an official on Friday.

According to police, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended them on September 3 while they were sailing off the Kanyakumari coast in Tamil Nadu.

“Four fishermen have been released by the Sri Lankan court and they will soon be handed over to Indian authorities,” the official told PTI.

After verifying documents and antecedents, Sri Lankan authorities issued their release orders on Thursday, confirming no evidence of illegal fishing or bottom trawling activities, police said.

Following completion of formalities, the fishermen and the seized boat will be handed over to Indian Coast Guard or Naval authorities within the coming week, the official added.

The fishermen were identified as P Brahmanandam (53), C Nageswararao (49), K Nookaraju (40) and K Srinu (44), belonging to Kakinada district and Yanam region.

The group purchased a fishing boat worth Rs 28 lakhs at Mela Kadiapattinam in Tamil Nadu on September 2, said the police.

Due to faulty Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, the Indian Fishing Boat allegedly entered Sri Lankan waters, leading to their detention, production before Kayts Magistrate Court, which remanded until September 18, the official further said quoting the fishermen.

They were lodged in Jaffna Prison, and consular officials provided food, essentials, clothing, legal aid, and arranged calls to families under the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) support, police added.