Sri Lanka arrests nine Indian fishermen, seizes trawler near Talaimannar
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested nine Indian fishermen and seized their trawler near Talaimannar on Wednesday. The latest action has renewed attention on the persistent Palk Strait fishing dispute between India and Sri Lanka.
At least nine Indian fishermen were arrested and their trawler was seized by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
The arrests come amid continuing tensions over the fishermen issue, which remains a long-standing irritant in India-Sri Lanka ties. The Navy said the fishermen had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line and were fishing in Sri Lankan waters north of Talaimannar.
The Sri Lankan Navy said the fishermen were apprehended on Wednesday evening during an operation after more than 50 Indian fishing trawlers were found to have allegedly trespassed into Sri Lankan waters south of Iranativu and engaged in illegal fishing.
According to the statement, the nine arrested fishermen and their seized trawler were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for further legal proceedings.
The Navy said that, as of April 15, a total of 128 Indian fishermen had been arrested and 18 trawlers seized this year for alleged poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
The fishermen issue has remained a contentious one between the two countries, with Sri Lankan Navy personnel accused in several incidents of firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats over alleged entry into Sri Lankan territorial waters. The Palk Strait, which separates Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.
Fishermen from India and Sri Lanka are frequently arrested for inadvertently crossing into each other’s waters, and the latest arrests have once again brought focus back on the dispute.
With PTI Inputs