Nine Tamil Nadu fishermen, 2 boats detained by Sri Lankan Navy
As a last resort, Sesuraja said the TN fishermen would lodge a protest in Delhi seeking the government’s intervention for the release.
Representative image
MADURAI: The Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday arrested nine Tamil Nadu fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching in its territorial waters, officials in Sri Lanka said.
This has taken the number of fishermen apprehended this year by the island nation in such incidents to 261.
The nine fishermen were arrested, and their two trawlers (IND –TN-10 MM 2517 and IND TN MM 284) were seized off the coast of Delft islet in the northern Jaffna peninsula, the Sri Lankan Navy mentioned.
It was said that these fishermen had ventured into the sea off Rameswaram after obtaining permit tokens from the Fisheries Department.
Those arrested were identified as V Sahaya Robert (49), Sekar, A Yakobu (24) of Thangachimadam, P Nambu (65) of Rameswaram, Radha of Uchipuli, R Harikrishnan (50) of Rameswaram, H Pon Ramaraj (26), H Ramkumar (24) of Rameswaram and Libin Sai, sources said.
Condemning the Sri Lankan Navy for the arrest, VP Sesuraja, president, Traditional Indian Fishermen Welfare Association said the central government is continuously ignoring the demands of the fishermen.
As a last resort, Sesuraja said the TN fishermen would lodge a protest in Delhi seeking the government’s intervention for the release.
The coastal hamlet of Thangachimadam, which is all set to witness the Santhiyagappar festival on Wednesday, has plunged into despair, S Emarit, president, Rameswaram All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association said.
