RAMANATHAPURAM: Thirty-two fishermen from Tamil Nadu were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing IMBL in two different incidents - at Neduntheevu and Mannar regions - in the wee hours of Thursday. Five boats have also been seized. With this, a total of 58 fishers have been arrested and six boats seized in March alone.
According to sources, over 480 mechanised Indian boats had set out for sail from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on Wednesday. A group of them was chased by the Lankan Navy near Mannar and Neduntheevu areas, and five boats belonging to Rameswaram were seized. At least 32 fishers were apprehended.
Lankan Navy said two boats along with seven fishermen were caught by the Navy off the Talaimannar coast. Later, three more Indian poaching trawlers and 25 fishermen were caught off the Delft Island.
With the latest incidents, the number of Indian fishermen arrested in 2024 has touched 178 and the number of boats seized, 23. Of the total 58 fishers apprehended this month, 37, hailing from Pudukkottai and Nagapattinam, were apprehended on March 10 and 15, while 21 others from Rameswaram were detained on March 17.
Speaking to TNIE, Jesuraj, leader of a fishermen association from Rameswaram, said, “It is condemnable that a boat owner, who had gone to Sri Lanka to attend a court proceeding over the confiscation of his boat, was sentenced to jail for a day. Though elections are round the corner, the government is not ready to address the issue.”
He added the association will stage protests after holding meetings. The fishers will protest in Rameswaram on March 26 as announced earlier, sources added.
