Sri Lankan Navy detains seven Tamil Nadu fishermen near Katchatheevu
The fishermen from Ramanathapuram district were arrested for allegedly poaching in international waters during the early hours of Sunday.
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested seven fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam in the early hours of Sunday, according to The Hindu. The fishermen were intercepted around 1 am while fishing between Katchatheevu Islet and Mannar North. They were taken along with their trawler to a Sri Lankan naval port for legal proceedings.
The Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department stated that 398 tokens were issued on Saturday for fishing operations. The detained men were identified as Placius, 41; Alagu Pandi, 22; Antony Pitchai, 33; Rabin, 21; Nelson, 58; Arulananda Xavier, 65; and Sahaya Anand, 34. The boat involved in the incident was owned by J John Mervin of Anthoniarpuram.
Fishermen associations held an emergency meeting at Thangachimadam, presided over by leader Jesu Raja. The group called for immediate intervention from the Union and State governments to free the men. A resolution at the meeting also criticised fishermen from Karaikal and Nagapattinam for allegedly entering the Palk Strait territory using high-power engines and large trawlers.
The associations claimed that Karaikal and Nagapattinam fishers had damaged nets in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province between October 26 and 30. They requested Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to prevent such trespassing to avoid mid-sea law and order issues.
The associations plan to meet again after November 8 to determine their next steps.