NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, FEB 4
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 23 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, and seized two boats for allegedly crossing the maritime border while fishing, officials said on Sunday. As per the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, the fishermen were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay sea area.
On Saturday, 3,000 fishermen left in 540 boats after acquiring the necessary permit from Fisheries Department authorities.
While crossing Neduntheevu at around 2 am to return to Rameswaram, the Sri Lankan Navy surrounded them and allegedly harried the fishermen, forcing them to scatter. This led to damage to the boats and fishing nets.
“Sri Lankan Navy arrived there and apprehended two boats and 23 fishermen from Rameswaram fishing boats and took them to Myalati Naval Camp, Jaffna for investigation,” they said.
Last month, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 18 Indian fishermen and seized two Indian poaching trawlers in Lankan waters. The apprehended Indian fishermen and the trawlers were brought to the Thalpadu Pier in Mannar and were handed over to the Talaimannar Fisheries Inspector for onward legal action.
The arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy in the recent past have been a matter of concern not just for the Centre but also for the Tamil Nadu government. The issue was also discussed during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the latter’s visit to India in July last year.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin urged the Centre to constitute a team as there was a “pressing need” for diplomatic efforts to address the situation.
