Sri Lankan Navy arrests 25 Tamil Nadu fishermen; Tamil Nadu govt angry

As many as 25 Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy in two separate incidents on charges of fishing in the territorial waters of the island nation on Saturday, drawing angry reaction from the state government.

In the first incident, eight fishermen from Nagapattinam were arrested while fishing near Paruthithurai, Fisheries Department sources said.

They were held on charges of crossing International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in a zone exclusively meant for Sri Lankan fishermen, they said.

They have been taken to Kangesanthurai port there, Joint Director of Fisheries Department, Nagapattinam district, Amala Xavier said, adding that their mechanised fishing boat was also impounded.

In the second incident, 17 fishermen from here and Jagadapattinam were arrested on charges of crossing the IMBL, Rameswaram Fisheries Department Deputy Director Issac Jayakumar said.

Their two mechanised boats were also taken into custody.

While 10 of them were taken to Thalimannar, the others were taken to Kanagesanthurai in the island nation, he said.

Two days ago, four fishermen from Pudukottai district and 17 from Karaikal region in Puducherry were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of fishing near Neduntheevu in the island nation.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami termed the arrest of the eight fishermen from Nagapattinam as an “abduction” and took up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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