CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 22 Indian fishermen on board four trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country’s territorial waters northwest of Delft Island, Jaffna, officials said on Thursday.

“The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian trawlers engaged in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters late on Wednesday,” a statement by Lanka Navy said.

The fishermen from Tamil Nadu, reportedly hailing from Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai and Nagapattinam districts, were picked up from near Neduntheevu late on Wednesday, and four boats were also seized, it said.

They were later taken to Kankesanthurai harbour and handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further legal action.

Dr S Ramadoss, founder of Pattali Makkal Katchi, has slammed the arrest of the fishermen from the state by the Sri Lankan Navy.