Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to take immediate diplomatic steps to stop the arrest of Indian fishermen and secure the release of those detained along with their fishing boats by Sri Lankan authorities.In his letter to the EAM, Stalin highlighted the latest incident on February 3, when 10 fishermen from Mandapam in Rameswaram were arrested along with their mechanized fishing boat by the Sri Lankan Navy. He called for urgent intervention at the highest diplomatic level to prevent further arrests and ensure the release of detained fishermen and their boats.
Stalin pointed out that in the last 27 days alone, the Sri Lankan Navy had apprehended 63 fishermen and five boats in five separate incidents. In 2024 so far, a total of 530 fishermen and 71 boats have been seized in 36 separate incidents. Currently, 97 fishermen and 216 fishing boats remain under Sri Lankan custody, he added.
The CM emphasized that these continuous arrests have severely impacted the livelihood of Tamil Nadu’s coastal fishing community, leaving hundreds of families in distress. He stressed the urgent need for a lasting resolution to this ongoing issue.