The Sri Lankan Navy has detained 19 fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram along with two boats. According to the fishermen's association, the fishermen were apprehended while they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palk Bay Sea.

The arrested fishermen identified as Jolson (42), Mcdon (40), Bismar (26), Muniyasamy (36), Muniyasamy (48), Shekhar (49), Sesu Raja (41), Flower Sun (28), Prashant (32), Arogya Prabhakaran (47), Selva Thomas (50), Selvaraj (46), Anton Sasikumar (43), Muniasamy, Health (50), Oswald (36), and Orissa (36).

"480 fishermen from Rameswaram ventured into the sea yesterday for fishing purposes. They were operating near Neduntivu in the Bagjalasanthi Sea area when the Sri Lankan Navy intervened," stated CR Senthilvel, state secretary of the AITUC Fishermen Association.

He added "Nineteen fishermen were apprehended and transported to the Kangesanthurai Naval Camp for further investigation."Fishing boat INT.TN 10 MM 324, owned by K Alex of Thangachimadham, and INT.TN 10 MM 925, owned by S Anton Sasikumar, were seized."

 Earlier, twelve fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who had been detained by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 13, were released and arrived at Chennai airport.

Officials report that the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended a total of 23 Indian fishermen and seized two boats from Rameswaram while they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area. The repeated arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy have raised concerns, both for the Central government and the authorities in Tamil Nadu.

The fishermen threatened to return their voter ID cards and boycott elections if their demands were not met. The Rameswaram All Boats Fishermen's Association emphasized that over 150 mechanized boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy between 2018 and 2024 are still held by the Sri Lankan government.

The fishermen demanded swift intervention from both the central and state governments to secure the release and restoration of seized boats. They called for adequate compensation for damaged vessels and permission for rescue teams to retrieve boats held by the Sri Lankan Navy.

 Additionally, they urged the central government to grant immediate permission for a rescue team to retrieve the 10 boats freed by the Sri Lankan Navy and provide appropriate compensation for boats sunk by them.

The issue had previously been discussed during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, which took place during the latter's visit to India in July last year.

Image source: ANI