Seven Tamil Nadu fishermen from Pudukkottai district were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the early hours of Sunday, March 10. According to information available, they were arrested at Neduntheevu ‘for trespassing into Sri Lankan waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The fishermen had set sail on two mechanised boats bearing the registration numbers IND TN08 MM 0054 and IND TN18 MM 1862 from the Jegathapattinam fishing harbour on March 9.
Tamil Nadu coastal police authorities told IANS that the fishermen along with their mechanised boats were taken to the Kankesanthurai Naval base.
The arrested fishermen are identified as S. Kaliappan (53), P. Akilan (18), P. Kodi Mari (65), S. Sheikh Abdullah (35), K. Thangaraj (54), A. Jayaraman (40) and S. Saravanan (24). Tamil Nadu fishermen welfare association general secretary M.R. Mariappan while speaking to IANS said, "There is no end in sight for our woes. The fishermen are not able to go to the seas and we strongly urge the state and central governments to take this up at a diplomatic level and to ensure that fishermen fish peacefully in the seas.”