At least fourteen Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy this morning for crossing territorial waters. The fishermen from Rameshwaram have been taken for inquiry by the Sri Lankan authorities. The fishermen were in two boats, with ten in one and four in the other. They were apprehended for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and engaging in fishing activities in Sri Lankan waters. Following their detention, the fishermen were taken to the Sri Lankan Navy camp in Puttalam for interrogation.
This is the latest in a series of incidents where Tamil Nadu and Puducherry fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing into their waters.
Apart from arrests, the Sri Lankan authorities have been seizing high-powered fishing boats and, in some cases, undertaking procedures to nationalise them — a move that has severely impacted the livelihoods of the coastal fishing communities in Tamil Nadu.
