Sri Lanka arrests 11 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry for crossing IMBL

KARAIKAL:  The Sri Lankan Navy on Wednesday arrested 11 fishermen from Puducherry and Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). According to sources, a group of 11 fishermen – including boat owner S Rajkumar of Karaikalmedu --  put out to sea from Karaikal fishing harbour in trawler ‘Arockiyamatha’ on December 18. Of the eleven aboard, six were from Karaikalmedu in Karaikal. The remaining hailed from Mayiladuthurai district, of which two were from Vanagiri, two from Perumalpettai and one from Vellakoil.

The group was fishing in the waters off Point Calimere coast around 11 am on Wednesday when the Sri Lankan Navy confronted them in their fast-attack craft and arrested them for crossing the IMBL. The fishing vessel and their gear were also seized, sources added.

The navy directed the fishermen to the island nation’s Kankesanthurai harbour and handed them over to the local fisheries inspector. The arrested are likely to be produced before a magistrate on Thursday. Meanwhile, the families of the arrested group and village representatives in Karaikalmedu sought urgent action from the government to have the fishermen released. 

A delegation headed to Puducherry to meet Chief Minister N Rangasamy and place request. A representative, A Singarvelu, urged for retrieval of the fishing vessel. Rajkumar’s brother S Sasikumar said, “Our boat would not have trespassed Sri Lankan waters purposefully. It might have drifted due to rough weather and unfavourable conditions.”