The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 35 Indian fishermen, 31 from Tamil Nadu and four from Puducherry, for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) near Rameswaram.
It is learnt that
the fishermen were first taken to the Kangesanthurai Navy Camp for questioning and later handed over to the Jaffna Fisheries Department. After an inquiry, they were produced in court and are expected to be sent to prison.
The arrests triggered strong political reactions in Tamil Nadu. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to increase pressure on the Union Government to secure the fishermen’s release. He criticised the state for a lack of urgency, arguing that sending letters to the Centre was insufficient.
“In a situation where attacks and arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have become routine, the Central and State governments have not taken steps to find a permanent solution,” India Today quoted Ramadoss as saying.
Ramadoss also pressed Stalin to convene a meeting with ministers and representatives of the fishing community and personally meet the Prime Minister to push for a lasting settlement.
TVK chief and actor Vijay also voiced distress over the development, calling on both the State and Union governments to intervene without delay.
“The news that 35 of our fishermen brothers from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, and that three of their motorboats and one country boat have been seized, causes deep anguish to the heart,” he wrote in a post on X.
He demanded their early release and the return of the seized boats, while also urging authorities to work toward a permanent remedy to avoid such recurring incidents.
This latest arrest comes just weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue with his Sri Lankan counterpart Harini Amarasuriya in October, shortly after Chief Minister Stalin had requested that the matter be taken up at the highest level.
