Nine fishermen of afishing hamlet in this district have reportedly been abductedby Sri Lankan Navy off Kodiakarai coast in Indian waters.
Fisheries department officials, quoting panchayatrepresentatives of Akkaraipettai hamlet said the fishermen putout to sea in a mechanised boat on June 16.
While fishing off Kodiakarai coast in Indian waters onJune 19, some Sri Lankan Navy personnel in a fast craftreportedly abducted them and took them to Kangesanthurai portin Sri Lanka.
Other fishermen in the vicinity returned ashore andconveyed the news to villagers, who launched an indefinitefast, demanding that the state and central governments takesteps to secure release of the fishermen.
Meanwhile, in Colombo, the Sri Lankan Navy said thenine Indian fishermen were arrested as they were found fishingin Lankan waters.
Naval spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said thefishermen were arrested off the coast of Kankesanturai in thenorth for poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
They have been handed over to the Kankesanturai policefor further investigations and action, Navy said.
Frequent poaching in each other's waters by respectivefishermen have presented recurring diplomatic headaches to theofficials of both countries.