On Thursday, the Sri Lankan Navy captured 19 Indian fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, along with two boats.
The fishermen were apprehended while fishing near Delft Island in the Palk Bay Sea, according to the fishing association.
The arrested fishermen have been identified Jolson (42), Mcdon (40), Bismar (26), Muniyasamy (36), Muniyasamy (48), Shekhar (49), Sesu Raja (41), Flower Sun (28), Prashant (32), Arogya Prabhakaran (47), Selva Thomas (50), Selvaraj (46), Anton Sasikumar (43), Muniasamy, Health (50), Oswald (36), and Orissa (36).
“480 fishermen from Rameswaram went to the sea yesterday to catch fish. They were fishing near Neduntivu in the Bagjalasanthi Sea area. The Sri Lankan Navy arrived there. 19 fishermen were arrested and taken to Kangesanthurai Naval Camp for investigation,” CR Senthilvel, state secretary, AITUC Fishermen Association said.
“Fishing boats INT.TN 10 MM 324 is owned by K Alex of Thangachimadham and INT.TN 10 MM 925 owned by S Anton Sasikumar were taken,” he added.
Earlier on February 6, twelve Tamil Nadu fishermen captured by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 13 were released and sent to Chennai airport.
According to sources, the Sri Lankan Navy detained 23 Indian fishermen and two boats from Rameswaram as they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea.
The frequent arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy have raised concerns not only with the central government but also with Tamil Nadu authorities.
Rameswaram fishermen staged a symbolic strike on February 5 to call attention to their long-standing problems and offer a list of demands to solve the challenges they confront.
The fishermen also proclaimed their intention to return their voter ID cards to the federal government and boycott the polls if their demands were not granted.
The Rameswaram All Boats Fishermen’s Association emphasized the fishermen’s dilemma, stating that the Sri Lankan government still owns over 150 mechanised boats from Tamil Nadu that were confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy between 2018 and 2024.
The fishermen urged prompt action from both the central and state governments to guarantee the release and restoration of impounded boats in good condition.They stressed the importance of adequate compensation for damaged vessels and allowing rescue teams to retrieve boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The fishermen also demanded the federal government to promptly allow the rescue team to travel to Sri Lanka to retrieve the ten boats freed by the Sri Lankan Navy and to compensate the boats that were sunk by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The topic was previously discussed during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the latter’s July 2017 visit to India.