RAMANATHAPURAM/CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday arrested 10 fishermen from Rameswaram and seized a boat for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) near Neduntheevu.
Fisheries department officials said that after a week-long break due to rough seas, tokens were issued to 350 boats to venture into the sea on Monday night.
Among them was a vessel owned by M Thennarasu of Rameswaram. While fishing near the IMBL, some boats allegedly entered Sri Lankan waters and were chased away by the Lankan Navy. One boat that remained was detained, and its 10 crew members arrested.
The arrested fishermen were identified as G Dokiyo, P Raj, S Sumeeth, G Raj, S Sudhan, G Kalimuthu, A Roobart, P Premkumar, D Dinesh and R Rajesh. They were later handed over to officials in Jaffna.
Expressing anguish over the incident, Chief Minister MK Stalin urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to intervene and secure the immediate release of the fishermen and their boat so that they may reunite with their families during Pongal.
"As of now, a total of 252 fishing boats and 83 fishermen, including those apprehended in the latest incident, remain in Sri Lankan custody," the CM said and added that it is a matter of grave concern that such recurring arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Lankan authorities continue unabated.
The CM said, considering the extreme distress and uncertainty faced by the families of the detained fishermen, the union government should take up this matter expeditiously through diplomatic channels.