Chennai, Oct 15 (BPNS)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the release of 23 fishermen from the state arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. The 23 fishermen are currently lodged in Sri Lankan jail.
According to the Sri Lankan navy website, a fast attack craft of the 04th Fast Attack Craft Flotilla (4 FAF) and an inshore patrol craft attached to the Northern Naval Command caught two Indian fishing vessels and arrested 23 Indian fishermen. This, according to the website is for poaching in Sri Lankan waters east off Point Pedro and Vettillaikeni on October 13.
The Sri Lankan Navy also mentioned that they have seized the catch of the fishermen and taken into custody fishing gear which is used for trawling.
It is to be noted that the nautical distance between India and Sri Lanka is limited to very few kilometers in the sea off Nagapattinam. Marine experts are of the opinion that the sea is narrow and that there was no room for even demarcating the International Maritime Boundary Lane
(IMBL) in the area. This is the main reason for Indian fishermen crossing into Sri Lankan waters and vice versa.
PMK leader, Dr. S. Ramadoss also said that the central government must intervene immediately and flayed the Modi government not condemning the arrest of the Indian fishermen. He also said that the Sri Lankan navy should not have arrested the Indian fishermen for crossing international waters inadvertently.
