RAMANATHAPURAM: Fishermen from Rameswaram continued their protests after a court in Sri Lanka sentenced another boatsman to six months in jail on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Congress also announced a series of protests to highlight the issues being faced by the fishermen.
19 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for breaching the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on February 8 were produced before a court in Sri Lanka on Thursday. While the court ordered the release of 18 fishermen, one boatsman was sentenced to six months in jail and confiscated a boat.
Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy had arrested 23 fishermen in two boats from Rameswaram, and subsequently on February 16 sentenced three, including two boatsmen, to jail. Following this prison sentence, fishermen from Rameswaram announced an indefinite strike from February 17.
On February 20, the fishermen took out a protest rally from Rameswaram to the district collectorate office. However, the district collector met them at Pamban and assured them to take action to secure the release of the fishermen, following which the protesters dispersed.
After the latest development on Thursday, the fishermen announced that they would continue their protests, condemning both the state and the Union government for failing to secure the release of their fishermen or the boats confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Meanwhile, given the Katchatheevu festival, considering the ongoing strike by the fishers, TN fisheries department announced a two-day fishing ban, till Saturday.
Accordingly, no boats were operated from Rameswaram for the Katchatheevu festival, considering the law and order situation.