RAMANATHAPURAM: Sri Lankan Navy caught two mechanised boats consisting of 8 Indian fishermen hailing from Rameswaram for alleged violation of IMBL and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. Fishermen association expressed condemnation for the arrest.
Fisheries department officials stated that nearly 400 boats from Rameswaram ventured into the sea on Saturday. Reportedly, the Sri Lankan Navy patrol unit chased off a cluster of Indian fishing boats that were fishing near the IMBL. As two boats had remained in Sri Lankan waters, the patrol unit caught the two fishing boats and arrested eight fishermen who were in the fishing boats in the late night hours.
Official sources said that boats owned by Mukesh Kumar of Rameswaram and Maria Redison of Thangachimadam was caught by the Sri Lankan Navy for IMBL violation. Each boat had four crew members, in total about 8 fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.
According to the Sri Lankan Navy official sources, the SL Navy Inshore Patrol Craft caught two fishing boats in the sea area north of Mannar. The seized boats with the Indian fishermen were brought to the island of Iranativu and were handed over to Killinochchi fisheries department for onward legal proceedings. Reportedly, Including this, the SL Navy has caught 03 Indian fishing boats and 18 Indian fishermen so far in 2025.
Expressing condemnation for the continuing arrest of Indian fishermen from Sri Lankan Navy, the fishermen association in Rameswaram has demanded the union govt to take immediate action towards delegating with the Sri Lankan govt to conduct the bilateral talks with fishermen representatives from both countries to address the prolonging issues. Also action should be taken to release the arrested fishermen and retrieve the confiscated boats.