RAMANATHAPURAM: The Sri Lankan Navy arrested eight fishermen, who were fishing near Katchatheevu, on Saturday night for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The eight fishermen hail from Thangachimadam in Rameswaram.
Sources said the eight fishermen were R Ramesh(40), R Rodic (18), C Ajith (25), Columbus (52), R Iman (22), Y Linson (23), A Pavuthi(19) and Isrel. Nearly 3,000 fishermen, including these eight, went fishing on 540 mechanised boats on Saturday night.
After their arrest, fisherfolk requested both the State and Central governments to take efforts and release them immediately. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Tamilnadu and Puducherry Fishermen Federation Advisor and Rameswaram Fishermen Association president N Devadass pointed out that earlier, fishermen used to get arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy once in six months or more, but now, it has become common.
"Many fishermen do not venture into the sea fearing that they would be arrested. The number of fishermen going into the sea has reduced drastically in the last couple of months. The Centre needs to look into the issue and make efforts to have a talk with both the countries’ fishermen and ensure the rights of the Tamil fishermen in the Katchatheevu waters," he urged.
He also condemned the Sri Lankan government’s move to auction 500 boats of fishermen from Rameswaram.
Fisher swept away, drowns
A 40-year-old fisherman G Karuppasamy, a resident of Ramakrishnpuram, went fishing at 3 am on Sunday. Sources said due to heavy waves and wind, Karuppasamy fell into the water and was swept away. After two other fishers informed officials, a team led by SI Selvaraj of Coastal Security Group Rameswaram unit, along with marine police personnel and local fisherman carried out a search operation to find him, in vain.
'Attack on sovereignty'
The PMK has urged the Union govt to stop the Sri Lankan Navy from arresting fishermen from TN. It said that in February alone, 80 Tamil fishermen have been arrested so far, and such actions should be seen as an attack on India’s sovereignty