RAMANATHAPURAM: The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 23 fishermen from Pamban and Thangachimadam and seized three boats for allegedly violating IMBL in the early hours of Sunday.
According to sources, over 400 boats from Rameswaram had ventured into the sea. The Lankan navy chased away several of the boats and captured three of them for allegedly violating IMBL. Two of the boats belonged to J Sahayaraj and J Geethan and the third was an unregistered vessel belonging to B Raja. The fishermen and the boats were handed over to officials in Jaffna. The Sri Lankan Navy said the number of Indian fishermen arrested so far in 2024 stands at 485.
Fishermen associations in Rameswaram have condemned Sri Lanka for the continuing arrests and urged the union government to intervene and secure the release of the fishermen. The fishermen have also announced a massive road blockade at Pamban bridge on Tuesday.