Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu:
A court in Sri Lanka today extended till September 27 the judicial remand of 31 fishermen from Karaikal and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, arrested by the island navy in July last for allegedly entering their territorial waters.
Trincomallee Magistrate Pasis passed the order extending the remand of the fishermen, arrested on July 31, fisheries officials in Rameswaram said quoting information received from Sri Lanka.
They also said that 34 other fishermen from the two places who were released by the court last week had been taken to Colombo and they would be sent back by air in a few days.
Their boats had, however, been detained and would be released only after clearance from the government, they said.
Meanwhile, an official of Fisheries department here said five fishermen who were arrested on charges of smuggling drugs were still in Lankan prison, and their families had been given assistance of Rs 250 a day by the state government.
So far 3.5 lakh had been given to their families.
The official said the family members of 76 other fishermen from Pamban imprisoned in Sri Lanka had not been given any assistance so far, though their families were also affected by poverty.
Government would extend assistance to them also and they would get a lump sum when they are released from Sri Lanka, they said.