The case of five Tamil Nadu fishermen in Sri Lanka custody was pushed by India's newly appointed External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday.
Speaking to GL Peiris on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation meeting, Khurshid is understood to have stressed that the issue be addressed "expeditiously" before it becomes an "irritant" in India-Sri Lanka relations.
An official sourse told OutLookIndia,
"The issue of Indian fishermen and the difficulties they face when they are apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy and Sri Lankan Coast Guards were raised.
"Khurshid said it was necessary to deal with them humanely and he urged Peiris on the case of five Indian fishermen who still remain in custody there.
"The Minister requested his Sri Lankan counterpart to try and address this issue expeditiously so that this is not an irritant in the relationship,"
