India, April 7 -- Sri Lanka released 14 Indian fishermen on Sunday as a special gesture coinciding with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had backed a "humane approach" for dealing with the issue of fishermen detained for crossing the maritime boundary.

The Indian fishermen were released as Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake toured the historic city of Anuradhapura and launched two India-backed railway projects. The issue of fishermen had figured in talks between the two leaders on Saturday, which resulted in several agreements to bolster cooperation in diverse areas.

According to official figures from the Sri Lankan side, some 140 Indian fishermen - a majority of them from Tamil Nadu - have been arreste...