Vadodara: 45 Indian fishers who were released by Pakistan will reach Veraval on Tuesday.
They hail from Maharashtra, the union territory of Diu and various parts of Gujarat.
Gujarat fisheries department official V J Moile, who is accompanying the released persons in the Vadodara-bound Golden Express train from Amritsar, said on Monday, "We will reach Vadodara around midnight tonight and after a night halt at Vadodara, we will leave for Veraval tomorrow morning."
The Indian fishers include three children and as many disabled people, who were held for allegedly violating naval borders of the neighbouring country.
The freed persons had left Karachi on a bus last week and reached the Wagha border in Punjab two days ago, where Indian authorities overtook responsibility of their travel homewards.
The Gujarat government fisheries department team was present at the Wagha border to take custody of these fishers after proper verification.
The 45 fishers were released after Pakistan`s Interim Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso announced the decision in their favour on humanitarian grounds and as a gesture of goodwill.
"At present, 482 Indian prisoners are in Pakistani jails," Gujarat Fishermen`s Association vice-president Veljibhai Masani said.
PTI
