Chennai, Feb 24 (BPNS)

The Sri Lankan Navy detained 22 Indian fishermen belonging to Nagapattinam and Karaikkal.

Fishermen leaders of Nagapattinam said that nine fishermen from Keechankuppam in Nagapattinam had ventured into the seas on Wednesday. According to fishermen leaders, while they were fishing near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) ,  Sri Lankan navy patrolling vessel surrounded them and arrested them. They were taken to Jaffna for questioning.

The boat owner Chinnadurai(60) and his son Sivabharati were among the detained people.

In the second incident, 13  fishermen from Nagapattinam and Karaikal were also questioned and detained. They had set sail from Karaikkal port on Wednesday morning.

The Fishermen leader of Nagapattinam, Sahayadas while speaking to BPNS said, “ Government of India must act, if they don’t act now, it will be curtains to the fishing industry and no one will venture to the sea fearing the Sri Lankan Navy. The Tamil Nadu government also has equal responsibility in the matter. Unless there is a diplomatic intervention from the top level, things would continue like this.