July 31, Colombo: Two Indian journalists who are in the country to cover the India-Sri Lanka Test series were briefly detained yesterday in Galle on security grounds, the Free Media Movement said.

The FMM said in a statement that it was relieved that both of them were released without much delay. Indian Techvision cameraman Ali Ekram of RP TV was detained by police while doing a story on the Galle cricket stadium's backdrop, the Old Dutch Fort.

“He was released after other journalists covering the test match intervened,” it said.

Another TV journalist Mustaque Ali working for Zee News was detained by a group of fishermen while he was filming the beach close to the Galle Fort.

The FMM said it hopes that Galle cricket authorities will take necessary steps to ensure safety of the journalists in light of the two incidents.