The Navy has so far this year arrested over 140 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters. The Sri Lanka Navy said they arrested over 550 Indian fishermen in 2024
Representational pic
The Sri Lankan Navy on Friday said it has arrested 14 Indian fishermen and seized a fishing boat for allegedly poaching in the country's territorial waters.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to news agency PTI, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested the Indian fishermen during a special operation conducted in the sea area south of Mannar on Thursday night.
The seized boat and Indian fishermen were brought to the Talpadu Pier in Mannar and will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for onward legal proceedings, the Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement.
The Navy stated that it continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing boats, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen, the statement said, according to PTI.
Last month, the Sri Lankan authorities had arrested 32 Indian fishermen and seized five fishing boats for allegedly venturing into the country's territorial waters.
The Navy has so far this year arrested over 140 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters, PTI reported.
Last year, the Sri Lanka Navy had arrested more than 550 Indian fishermen.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between the two neighbours. The Sri Lankan Navy personnel had fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.
The fishing community in Rameswaram had launched an indefinite strike following the arrests. They demanded that the fishermen be released immediately along with the seized boats.
On Monday, the Rameswaram fishing jetty remained eerily empty as more than 700 mechanised boats stayed docked at the harbour in protest. This demonstration follows the escalating tensions over repeated incidents of arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy.
A total of 440 fishing boats had ventured into the Palk Bay from Rameswaram. While engaged in routine fishing activities, Sri Lankan naval personnel arrived in a patrol vessel, seized five boats, and detained 32 fishermen, citing illegal border crossings.
Since January, a total of 18 fishing boats have been confiscated by the Sri Lankan authorities, and 131 fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested. The ongoing issue has led to repeated appeals from Tamil Nadu’s political leadership for diplomatic intervention.
(With PTI inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
