10 Indian Fishermen detained by Sri Lankan Navy in Gulf of Mannar

Rameswaram: The Sri Lankan Navy has detained 10 Indian fishermen from Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district and seized their mechanised boats while they were fishing in the Gulf of Mannar. The fishermen were apprehended near the Mannar Lowlands and taken to the Mannar naval base for questioning, according to the Mandapam Fisherman Association.

The detained fishermen have been identified as D. Efran, S. Dron of Thangachimadam, and Prasad, Muniyaswamy, Siva, Anthony, Payas, Sesu, and K. Ravi from Mandapam Gandhinagar.

Officials have stated that after interrogation, the fishermen and their boat will be handed over to the Sri Lankan Fisheries Department for legal proceedings. The incident has sparked unrest among the local fishing community, which has repeatedly raised concerns about such detentions.

This latest detention follows a series of confrontations between Indian fishermen and Sri Lankan authorities. Just last week, six Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka were released and returned to Chennai. Their return was facilitated by Fisheries Department officials, marking yet another chapter in the ongoing tensions over fishing rights in the Palk Strait.

The issue has been further exacerbated by a recent incident in the Jaffna Sea, where two Indian fishermen from Karaikal sustained injuries after the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire. (ANI)

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