Sri Lanka arrests 22 Indian fishermen

The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday arrested 22 Tamil Nadu fishermen for fishing near Neduntheevu in Sri Lankan waters, according to the Rameswaram Fisherman Association.

Several fishermen in boats went to sea from Tamil Nadu on Saturday, they said.

While the fishermen were fishing near Nedundeevu in the Palkbay Sea area, the Sri Lankan Navy arrived in the area early this morning and seized three boats belonging to the fishermen of Thangachimadam, the association said.

Earlier on June 19, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote a letter to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar to secure the immediate release of all the fishermen and their fishing boats arrested by Sri Lanka.

The Chief Minister pointed out that four fishermen from his state who set out from the Kottaipattinam fishing harbour in Pudukottai District were arrested from Tamil Nadu on Tuesday by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The Chief Minister said that such incidents disrupt the livelihoods of fishermen and instill a "sense of fear" and "uncertainty" among the entire fishing community.

Earlier in April, a total of 19 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were sent to Chennai in an Air India passenger flight from Sri Lanka's Colombo following their arrest, by the Sri Lankan Navy on March 6 for crossing the border.

The 19 fishermen included nine from Mayiladuthurai, four from Pudukottai, and six from Karaikal in Puducherry state. All of them went fishing in the sea in two boats on March 6.

The families of the fishermen had requested the central and state governments to take action to release the fishermen.