RAMANATHAPURAM: The Sri Lankan court sentenced two fishermen to six months of imprisonment for alleged violation of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. The court has released four other Indian fishermen in the case on Wednesday.
Source said the Sri Lankan Navy seized two boats and arrested six Indian fishermen from Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram near Delft Island. They were taken to Kankesanthurai Harbour and were handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries for legal proceedings on February 19.
The arrested fishermen were produced before the Jaffna court on Wednesday. The court sentenced two boat drivers namely R John Muthukumar and S Thonbosko of Thangachimadam to six months imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 40 lakh (Sri Lankan Rupees). Failing to pay the fine will lead to an additional three months of imprisonment. The two fishermen were lodged in Jaffna special prison on Wednesday.
The court released the other four fishermen with the condition of not violating the IMBL in the future and handed them over to the Indian embassy officials.
Fishermen association from Rameswaram condemned the imposition of such a massive fine on the fishermen. The fishermen urged the central government to intervene and take action towards releasing the Indian fishermen lodged in Sri Lankan prison.
It is to be noted that the Rameswaram fishermen staged a one-day strike on Wednesday condemning the recent arrest of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy as announced earlier. Over 700 boats were anchored in jetties across Rameswaram.