Chennai, Aug 7:
A total of 11 stranded fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy after their boat ran aground due to a mechanical fault, for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and impounded their boat, even as Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday evening wrote to Union Minister for External Affairs
Dr.S.Jaishankar seeking their early release by taking up the matter through diplomatic channels.
The Lankan Navy after arresting them and impounding their boat, took them to the Island Nation for further action.
Meanwhile, in a Demi-Official letter to Dr Jaishankar, he sought his personal intervention regarding the apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen from Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu,
along with a mechanised fishing boat, by the Sri Lankan Navy today.
In this incident, the boat had run aground near the shore of Neduntheevu due to a mechanical failure. However, the Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended the boat along with fishermen for allegedly crossed the
International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), Vijay said.
Pointing out that the recurring arrest of TN fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy causes deep anguish among the fishing community, disrupting their livelihoods and creating uncertainty among those dependent on the Palk Bay for their sustenance, the Chief Minister urged Dr Jaishankar to take up the matter with the Sri Lankan Government through appropriate diplomatic channels and facilitate the early release and safe repatriation of all the apprehended fishermen, along with the release of their fishing boat.
Further, Vijay also reiterated that early revival of bilateral dialogues through Joint Working Group (JWG) would only help to address these recurring issues and said he was looking forward his personal intervention and early response towards safeguarding the livelihoods and interests of TN fishermen.