CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday urged Union External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar to take immediate and effective measures to secure the release of all the detained fishermen and their boats from Sri Lankan authorities.

Drawing the Union minister's immediate and personal attention to the apprehension of 14 Indian fishermen along with their mechanised fishing boats and an unregistered country craft by the Sri Lankan Navy in the early hours of August 6, Stalin, in his demi-official letter to the EAM, requested that "immediate and effective measures be taken to secure the release of all detained Tamil Nadu fishermen and their fishing boats at the earliest."

Expressing deep concern over the repeat of such incidents despite his repeated appeals to the Union government to intervene diplomatically and bring an end to the continued arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy, the Chief Minister noted that the apprehension reported on Thursday marked the 17th such incident this year alone. At present, 237 fishing boats and 80 fishermen remain in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities, deprived of their only means of livelihood and their right to fish in traditional waters, Stalin added.