Sri Lankan Navy arrests 32 Tamil fishermen, five boats seized

CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Lankan waters.

The arrests were made during the early morning hours of Sunday. Five costly mechanised boats were also seized by the Sri Lankan authorities.

The arrested fishermen, according to fishermen leaders of Rameswaram, were taken to Jaffna in Sri Lanka for further questioning.

It may be recalled that three days before, on the night of February 19, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 10 fishermen from Rameswaram for allegedly trespassing into its territorial waters. Three mechanized fishing boats were also seized during the late-night operation on Wednesday. Tamil Nadu coastal police officials confirmed that the fishermen were apprehended for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) while fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

Following the arrests, the families of the detained fishermen, along with local fishing communities, have urged both the central and state governments to take immediate action to secure their release. Fishermen's association leaders have announced plans for large-scale protests in Rameswaram and other coastal areas condemning the continued arrests.

The issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen being detained by the Sri Lankan Navy has become a recurring problem. Ten days ago, on February 9, Sri Lankan authorities arrested 14 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seized their mechanized fishing boat. The fishermen, who had set out to sea from Rameswaram, were taken to Jaffna for questioning. (IANS)

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