The Sri Lankan Navy, in the early hours of Monday (February 3, 2025), arrested 10 fishermen from Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu and impounded their trawler as they were fishing in the Palk Bay.
Reports stated that the Fisheries Department had issued 171 tokens on Sunday (February 2, 2025) from the Mandapam South fishing harbour. A boat owned by Sandya Satish of Thangachimadam carried the 10 fishermen. While they were fishing in the Palk Bay, the Sri Lankan Navy detained them on charges of poaching.
They were then taken to the Thaazvupaadu port in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu officials said, adding that the fishermen would be produced in a court for judicial custody.
Fishermen associations in Ramanathapuram condemned the arrest. Last week, 34 fishermen were arrested, and three days ago, the associations staged an demonstration in Rameswaram seeking the Union government’s intervention. Under such circumstances, yet another arrest suggested that the governments were not concerned about the lives of fishermen, they said.
Published – February 03, 2025 11:17 am IST