Seventeen fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the international maritime border. Along with the arrests, two fishing boats were seized during the operation.

The fishermen, who had set out from the Rameswaram fishing port, were reportedly fishing in the waters between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar when they were surrounded by a Sri Lankan Navy patrol boat and taken into custody.

Following their apprehension, the fishermen were transported to the Talaimannar Naval Camp for questioning. Officials stated that, after the inquiry, they would be handed over to the Mannar Fisheries Department authorities for further proceedings.

The arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, especially from districts like Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Ramanathapuram, has been a recurring issue for decades. The fishermen often cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) into Sri Lankan waters in pursuit of better fish catches.

Recently, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had called on Union Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to take urgent diplomatic measures to address the escalating arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities. The Chief Minister expressed concern over the increasing frequency of such incidents, noting that the year 2024 has witnessed the highest number of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy in seven years.

The Tamil Nadu government has consistently raised this issue, advocating for the protection of the state’s fishing community, whose members often venture into disputed waters in search of livelihood.