5 fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy

Sources said that as the 45-day ban on fishing by mechanised boats is in place in view of the breeding season in the Eastern coast. Five fishermen, Anthony Nishanth, Santhiya Mishashan, Arockia Ajo, Raja Gunasekaran and Santhiya Abishek, had ventured into the sea in a motor fitted country boat belonging to Anthoniyar Adimai from Thangachimadam coastal village near Rameswaram, on Sunday night. 

While they were fishing in the high seas, they were whisked away to Mannar coast by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel. Though fishermen sources claim that they were only in the Indian waters, the Sri Lankan Navy claims that the arrested fishermen had trespassed into the island nation waters and were fishing 15.5 nautical miles off the northern coast of Mannar in Sri Lanka. 

Their boats, nets and catch were confiscated by the Lankan Navy. Later they were handed over to the fisheries official at Mannar. After investigation they were handed over to the police who produced them before a Mannar Court, which remanded them till May 15. Subsequently all the arrested fishermen were lodged in Vavuniya prison.

The Sunday arrest is rather a strange incident because generally only fishermen who use mechanised boats and trespass into the Lankan waters are arrested. But, in this case fishermen who were using a country craft have been arrested.