The Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 17 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seized two boats off the coast of Rameswaram on Sunday morning. The apprehended fishermen have been identified as Markmillan (37), Milton (49), Ronald (48), Sesuraja (45), Jeevan Frisher (22), Suresh (45), Arul Dhinakaran (24), Durai (39), and Maria Sethin (26) from Thangachimadam, as well as Ardiya Nicho (26), Jebastian (38), Rajeev (36), Vivek (36), Innachie (36), Samuel (33), Brichan (31), and Bhaskaran (30).
The two boats that were seized belonged to fishermen Vyadaraj and Selvam from Thangachimadam. According to the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, the apprehended fishermen were fishing in the Palk Bay area near Nedunthivu, having set out to sea with 309 boats.
The fishermen had obtained permission from the Rameswaram Fisheries Department the previous day to venture into the sea. They were taken to Mannar port for questioning.
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The association expressed alarm over the incident, highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding cross-border fishing activities in the region. At least 19 fishermen previously arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy were released earlier this month.
The arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have raised concerns for both the Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-led central government. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar multiple times regarding the matter.
In response to one of his letters, Jaishankar assured him of proactive action on the issue and stated that the Indian High Commission in Colombo and the Consulate in Jaffna have been expeditiously and consistently addressing such cases for the early release of those detained.
(WITH INPUTS FROM ANI)
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