CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, urging the Centre to intervene urgently through appropriate diplomatic channels following the arrest of 12 Tamil Nadu fishermen and the seizure of their fishing boat by the Sri Lankan Navy.

In his letter, the Chief Minister referred to the apprehension of a mechanised fishing boat from Rameswaram along with its crew on Tuesday.

The fishermen had ventured out for fishing from the Rameswaram fish landing centre in Ramanathapuram district on December 22 in an unregistered mechanised trawler.

CM Stalin noted that the continued arrest of fishermen and seizure of boats has severely affected their livelihoods and caused immense hardship and distress among coastal fishing communities.