Rameswaram: In what has sent shock waves among the fishermen in Tamilnadu, a total of 54 fishermen from the State were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, which also seized their five boats for ‘engaging in unlawful fishing in violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) regulations’.
The fishermen included 20 each from Ramanathapuram and Nagapattinam districts and 14 from Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Sources said that the Sri Lankan Northern Naval Command units nabbed an Indian fishing vessel with 14 fishermen onboard, about three nautical miles off the coast of Kovilan in Jaffna.
About 1,030 kg of illegally caught fish and fishing gears used for the fishing activities were seized, it is said.
In another incident, the Lankan North Central Naval Command units detained two more Indian fishing vessels with 20 fishermen for engaging in trawling in Sri Lankan territorial waters about seven nautical miles off Pesalai in Mannar district and five nautical miles off the Iranativu Island.
Similarly, the Eastern Naval Command units of Sri Lanka seized two Indian fishing vessels with 20 fishermen and their fishing accessories while fishing in island waters about 7.5 and 8.5 nautical miles off Mullaitivu.
The two fishing boats had trespassed into Sri Lankan waters about 62 nautical miles, crossing the IMBL when they were arrested.
The seized five Indian fishing vessels along with 54 Indian fishermen were handed over to authorities for further legal action.
Fishermen in Tamilnadu have urged the Central government to intervene and ensure the speedy release of their arrested counterparts and boats.