Sri Lankan Navy arrests 16 Indian fishermen
Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu/IBNS/UNI: The Sri Lankan Navy have arrested 16 Indian fishermen and confiscated two mechanized fishing trawlers in two separate incidents on the charges of poaching in their territorial waters on Wednesday midnight, according to reports.
Tamil Nadu fisheries officials said on Thursday that the incarcerated fishermen, who have been detained by the SL Navy, hailed from Thangatchimadam and Mandapam coastal hamlets in this district.
The Sri Lankan Navy claimed that the arrests were made during patrols carried out by Fast Attack Craft of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla, attached to the Northern and North Central Naval Commands in their waters north-west of Delft Island and Iranativu in Mannar.
The SL Navy took hold of the two Indian trawlers with 16 fishermen while bottom trawling in Island waters through the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), and seized a stock of fish caught illegally through this fishing method.
This was the seventh incident of arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy so far this year.
With this, 96 Indian fishermen and 13 fishing trawlers were taken into captivity by Sri Lanka for unlawful poaching in its waters.
Meanwhile, leaders of various fishermen associations appealed to the Central and State governments to take necessary steps for the release of all arrested fishermen.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.