21 more fishers arrrested by Sri Lankan Navy
MADURAI: Sri Lankan Navy arrested 21 more fishermen, who belong to Rameswaram and their two mechanised boats on Sunday on the grounds of fishing across the International Maritime Boundary Line. After arresting the fishermen near Neduntheevu, the Lankan Navy personnel took them to Kankesanthurai Port in Sri Lanka, sources said.
Over 2,000 fishermen had ventured into the sea for a regular fishing trip from Rameswaram fishing jetty on Saturday morning. Of them, 21 fishermen were detained by the Sri Lankan navy while they were fishing close to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), Tamil Nadu fisheries department officials said.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Navy claimed on its official website that it had conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters, that led to the apprehension of 21 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Delft Island and the seizure of two Indian poaching trawlers.
VP Sesuraja, president, Traditional Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, said those two mechanised boats bearing registration -’IND TN 10.MM.035’ and ‘IND TN 10.MM.302’ ventured into sea among 484 boats off Rameswaram after receiving fishing permit tokens from the Fisheries Department on Saturday. It’s a never ending problem being faced by the fishermen and there seems to be no time to remedy the situation, he said in bitter frustration.
S Emarit, president, Rameswaram All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association said as many as 340 Tamil Nadu fishing boats were with Sri Lanka. Since the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled, the fishermen thought the Centre would help release the TN boats at least to gain political mileage. But, nothing happened and only disappointment awaited the fishermen.