The Sri Lankan Navy has once again detained 32 Indian fishermen and confiscated five mechanized trawlers in two separate incidents, alleging their entry into Sri Lankan territorial waters and engaging in unlawful fishing activities. The arrests have reignited tensions between India and Sri Lanka over fishing rights in the region.According to reports from Tamil Nadu fisheries department officials, the arrested fishermen are from Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district. The fishermen, who ventured into the sea for a routine fishing expedition from the Rameswaram fishing jetty on Wednesday morning, were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy during their operations near Delft Island and the Palk Strait.
In the first incident, 25 fishermen aboard three fishing trawlers were detained near Delft Island, while in the second incident, seven fishermen were arrested for fishing in the Palk Strait. The Sri Lankan Navy subsequently took the apprehended fishermen and the seized trawlers to Mannar and Kankesanthurai ports for legal proceedings.
These latest detentions add to the tally of Indian fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy this year, bringing the total number to 178, with a total of 23 Indian fishing trawlers seized. The recurrent arrests highlight the ongoing dispute between India and Sri Lanka over fishing rights in the region, exacerbated by conflicting territorial claims and maritime boundaries.