Chennai, July 23:
Nine fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters last evening.
The fishermen, hailing from Rameswaram island in the southern Ramanathapuram district, were arrested for trespassing into the international waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) while fishing in Palk Strait and seized their boat.
The arrested fishermen were taken to the Island Nation and handed over to the officials.
The fresh incident of arrests has caused heartburn among the fishermen community.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has already taken up the matter in person with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Delhi visit and urged him to find a lasting solution to the frequent arrests of fishermen affected their liveihood. He had also written to External Affairs Minister Dr.S.Jaishankar calling for expeditious steps through diplomatic channels to secure the release of all arrested fishermen languishing in
Sri Lankan jails and their boats impounded by the Lankan Navy.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Navy in a statement on its website said it has seized an Indian fishing trawler and apprehended nine Indian fishermen whilst engaged in illegal fishing having crossed the IMBL in Sri Lankan waters North of Talaimannar last evening.
Over 50 Indian fishing trawlers had trespassed into the Sri Lankan waters South of Iranativu engaging in illegal fishing, it said, adding, during the operation, one Indian fishing trawler was seized, while nine Indian fishermen on board were taken into custody.
The apprehended fishermen and the seized trawler were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for onward legal proceedings, the statement said.