New Delhi: As many as 49 Indian fishermen were detained by Iran in December last year for unknowingly fishing between UAE and Iranian waters in the Kish Island. A senior government official said that they have been freed and have reached India yesterday.

"On the 1^st of December 2015, 49 Indian fishermen who are employees of Messrs. Al Shamsi Al Anjuman, a UAE-based company, were detained while they were unknowingly fishing between UAE and Iranian waters in the Kish Island. Out of these 49 fishermen, 44 were from Tamil Nadu and five were from Gujarat," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said at a media briefing here.

"These 49 fishermen have now been released by the Iranian authorities. They left Iran yesterday (Wednesday) for Chennai via Dubai and have arrived in India this morning," he said.

Recently, a protest was staged by fishermen in Tamil Nadu, demanding the release of their fellow fishermen and boats by Sri Lanka.

In November, last year, around 126 Indian fishermen who were arrested on the charges of poaching by the Sri Lankan navy, were released.

In February last year, Pakistan released 172 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture, two days after the Prime Ministers of both countries decided to resume high-level talks. (IANS)