RAMANATHAPURAM: Demanding the central government to take immediate action towards releasing the Indian fishermen jailed in Sri Lankan prison and retrieve the confiscated boats, as many as 300 fishermen along with their family members began an indefinite hunger strike at Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram on Friday, even as heavy rain lashed the region. It may be noted that the fishermen in Rameswaram have been staging an indefinite strike since February 23 condemning the frequent arrests of fishermen by the SL Navy.
As the indefinite strike entered its sixth day on Friday, over 700 boats remained anchored on the Rameswaram shores.
Addressing the protesters, P Jesuraja, leader of All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, said the SL Navy arrested 32 Indian fishermen hailing from Ramanathapuram and seized five mechanised fishing boats for alleged IMBL violation on February 23.
The arrested fishermen have been lodged in the prisons of the island nation. At present, over 50 Indian fishermen, who were sentenced to imprisonment, are languishing in Lankan jails, and many others remain in court custody, Jesuraja said.