Lankan Navy arrests 6 TN fishermen after flotilla crosses maritime boundary

A flotilla of fishing boats from Rameshwaram had strayed into Sri Lanka’s territorial water when they were intercepted by the Lankan Navy.

The Sri Lankan Navy arrested six fishermen from Rameswaram in the early hours of Tuesday after a flotilla strayed across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Palk Strait, a fishermen’s association said.

The Sri Lankan navy arrested six fishermen from Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram and seized their mechanised boat on Tuesday. (Representative image/REUTERS FILE PHOTO)

According to P Sesuraja, President, Rameswaram Fishermen’s Association, the Lankan navy chased away the fishermen who ventured into the sea with 500 boats on Monday night.

“Since it was early hours, the fishermen were unaware of the place where they were engaged in fishing. A team of more than 50 naval personnel came near Neduntheevu, Sri Lanka, and chased the Tamil fishermen around 4 am. While fishermen made a hasty retreat, the Lankan navy arrested six people and seized their mechanized boat along with fishing nets and the catch worth over Rs.52 lakh,” Sesuraja claimed.

The arrested fishermen were taken to Kankesanthurai port in Northern Sri Lanka, produced before a local court and remanded in custody, the association said. But no one could say how long they would be under detention.

The Tamil Nadu government has not reacted so far.

Earlier on July 31, the Sri Lankan navy had arrested seven fishermen.