CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested eight Tamil fishermen from Nagapattinam.
The arrest reportedly came following a skirmish in mid-sea with Lankan fishermen.
The Tamil fishermen from Akkarapettai in Nagapattinam district were fishing near Mullatheevu when their boat collided with the boat of Lankan fishermen, which sank in the mid sea as a result of the impact.
Lankan fishermen cornered the fishermen from Nagai and with ropes dragged the fishing boat to Sri Lanka. The Tamil fishermen were handed over to the Lankan Navy, along with the boat.
The Lankan Navy formally arrested the eight Tamil fishermen and took possession of their fishing boats.
This incident has created lot of tension in the fishermen hamlets of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. Tamil fishermen are urging the government to secure the release of fellow fishermen and more than 62 fishing boats detained by Lanka.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalaithaa had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the matter of freeing 84 Tamil fishermen languishing in Lankan jail.