The News Minute | October 30, 2014 | 3.31 pm ISTA court in Colombo, Sri Lanka has handed the death sentence to five fisherman hailing from Tamil Nadu after they were convicted for smuggling heroin into the country.The fishermen have been given time until November 14, to appeal the verdict with a higher court. The five fishermen are P. Emerson, P. Augustin, R. Wilson, K. Prasad and J. Langlet.The five fishermen had been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy on November 28, 2011 and were later charged for smuggling drugs to the country. When Indian fishermen cross the International Maritime Boundary Line, the procedure is to contact the Indian Consulate in Jaffna and repatriate the people. However, in the case of these five fishermen, this process was not followed.They were lodged in the Jaffna prison after arrest, later moved to the Wellikada prison in Colombo.The Ministry of External Affairs has reacted saying the Indian High Commission in Colombo will file an appeal in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court.The five fishermen are from Rameshwaram district. They had set out to sea from Pamban and arrested when they crossed the international boundary.In May 2014, when Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa had visited India for Prime Minister Modi's swearing in ceremony, it was announced that all fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan jails will be released. Though initial reports said this included the five fishermen, Sri Lanka later clarified that the five arrested on drug smuggling charges will not be released.