Chennai, March 31 (BPNS)

Three Indian fishermen hailing from Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday late night for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. 

In a statement on Thursday, Tamil Nadu fisheries department said that apart from arresting the three fishermen, the Sri Lankan’s also impounded a mechanized fishing boat.

Fishermen associations have expressed anguish and ire at the arrest of the three Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. J. Jesudas, a leader of the Fishermen association in Ramanathapuram while speaking to BPNS said, “ This is indeed highly objectionable. Our government is supporting the Sri Lankans in their crisis moment and they are not reciprocating the goodwill of the people of India. They are arresting our fishermen and seizing our costly boats. This is not acceptable and the Government of  Tamil Nadu must take this up very seriously with the Government of India as a first priority. People are now scared to go to the sea and several fishing hamlets are in abject poverty.”

It may be noted that the Sri Lankan navy had arrested four Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu this week itself and captured their boats also. Since January 2022, 87 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested and around 42 were released. This means that around 45 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu are under the custody of Sri Lankan authorities.

On Wednesday, the Indian Coast Guard had taken into custody a Sri Lankan fisherman after he had crossed deep into the Indian marine waters at Nagapattinam.