NEW DELHI, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 77 Indian fishermen released by Sri Lankan authorities reached the southern state of Tamil Nadu on Friday, officials said.
The fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan prisons were hailing from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
"The fishermen arrived at Karaikkal Port early this morning and from here they were sent to their homes," an official said.
The fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy in separate incidents this year on charges of trespassing into the territorial waters of the island nation.
Two local ministers from Tamil Nadu as well as family members and relatives of the fishermen received the released fishermen at the port.
According to officials, the Sri Lankan navy handed over the fishermen to Indian authorities near the international maritime boundary line on Thursday.
Fishermen of the two countries are often jailed for accidentally crossing into each other's territory. The fishermen traverse poorly defined boundary in the international waters as most fishing boats lack technologies to locate exact positions.
