CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday urged the Union External Affairs Ministry to secure the release of Tamil Nadu apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy and recover their seized boats.

The CM drew the attention of the MEA to the arrest of 37 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and the seizure of their three motorised country boats bearing registration Nos. IND-TN-16-MO-3451, IND-TN-16-MO-1544, and an unregistered boat, by the Sri Lankan Navy on September 21.

In his letter to Union External Affairs Ministry S Jaishankar, Stalin urged him to secure the release of all the arrested fishermen as soon as possible.

Stalin further requested the union minister to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to stop levying hefty fines on the fishermen and provide them with necessary legal assistance. 

Expressing deep anguish over the arrests, the Tamil Nadu CM said, “Such instances of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen while fishing in their traditional fishing waters have been on the rise. Besides this, the Sri Lankan courts are levying penalties that are beyond the means of these fishermen.”

Stalin also asked the MEA to take strong measures to prevent the Sri Lankan authorities from capturing fishermen and their fishing boats.