COLOMBO: Sixteen Indian fishermen have been arrested separately by Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching in the country's territorial waters.
Eight Indian fishermen were arrested along with a steel hull fishing trawler for poaching in the north-west of Analathivu Island, Sri Lankan Navy said.
Having brought the fishermen and items to the naval base SLNS Elara, they will be handed over to the Jaffna Fisheries Director for further investigations. Eight more Indian fishermen were arrested while engaging in "illegal" fishing activities in the sea area north of Mannar district, the Navy said. The fishermen are due to be produced before the Mannar Fisheries Director, the Navy said.
The arrest of the fishermen comes weeks after Sri Lanka released all Indian fishermen in its custody following an incident in which a 22-year-old fisherman from Tamil Nadu was killed and another injured allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.