Sri Lankan navy arrests 15 TN fishermen from Rameswaram

Chennai, July 9 The Sri Lankan Navy have arrested 15 fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu who were fishing near Neduntheevu during the early morning hours of Sunday.

Tamil Nadu fisheries Department officials said that the fishermen were in two mechanised boats and were fishing near Neduntheevu when they were arrested. The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested them on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

Tamil Nadu fisheries department said that the arrested were taken to the Sri Lankan Naval base in Kankesanthurai Harbour.

It may be noted that the Sri Lankan Navy had arrested several fishermen from Tamil Nadu and they were remanded and the mechanised fishing boats confiscated.

While fishermen are released after serving a few weeks of jail term, the mechanised boats are confiscated. The costly confiscated mechanised boats have created major issues in the fishermen’s hamlets of Tamil Nadu and fishermen associations in the state have been knocking at all doorsteps for it solution.

--IANS