In a fresh incident, the Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
The arrests were made during the early morning hours of Sunday. Five costly mechanised boats were also seized by the Sri Lankan authorities.
According to fishermen leaders of Rameswaram, The arrested fishermen were taken to Jaffna in Sri Lanka for further questioning.
Tamil Nadu coastal Police officials confirmed that the fishermen were apprehended for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) while fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
The families of the detained fishermen, along with local fishing communities, have appealed to both the Central and state governments to take immediate measures for their release.
Fishermen’s association leaders have also announced plans for large-scale protests in Rameswaram and other coastal areas condemning the continued arrests.
The detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy remains a serious concern. The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested several Tamil Nadu fishermen in recent weeks.
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Notably, on February 19, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 10 fishermen from Rameswaram for allegedly trespassing into its territorial waters. Three mechanized fishing boats were also seized during the late-night operation on Wednesday.
On February 9, Sri Lankan authorities arrested 14 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seized their mechanized fishing boat. A similar incident occurred on February 3, when 10 fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested for allegedly crossing the IMBL.
