A Sri Lankan court has released 12 Indian fishermen who had been imprisoned for allegedly fishing in the island nation's territorial seas, and India's High Commission in Colombo is working to get them back to Tamil Nadu as soon as possible. The fishermen were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy on December 19 after being discharged by a court in the country's northern Mannar region. "The Mannar court today released 12 Indian fishermen who were detained in Mannar on December 19, 2021." "India's Consulate General in Jaffna provided them with legal assistance by representing their cases in court and facilitating their early release," the Consulate General of India in Jaffna said on Twitter. Earlier, the Indian High Commission in New Delhi tweeted that it was "pleased to learn from our lawyer in Mannar that 13 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been released." Last month, India expressed concern about the detention of 68 of its fishermen from Tamil Nadu by Sri Lankan authorities, claiming that the issue of their "early release" had been raised with the island nation. The issue of fishermen continues to be an irritant in India-Sri Lanka relations. There have been several reported incidents of Sri Lankan Navy personnel firing on Indian fishermen and seizing their boats in the Palk Strait. The Palk Strait, a narrow stretch of water separating Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, is a popular fishing spot for both countries' residents.