Sri lankan navy arrests nine Mayiladuthurai fishermen

The arrest of nine fishermen from Mayiladuthurai district by the Sri Lankan Navy has once again caused anxiety among fishing communities in Tamil Nadu, highlighting the continuing hardships faced by Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait region.
According to fishermen’s associations, the group had ventured out to sea for routine fishing when a Sri Lankan Navy patrol vessel intercepted them. Navy personnel reportedly surrounded the fishing craft and arrested the nine fishermen, alleging that they had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line and were fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
The Sri Lankan Navy also seized two mechanised fishing boats and took the fishermen to the Karainagar naval camp in northern Sri Lanka.
Officials there are said to have begun preliminary inquiries and are expected to hand over the fishermen and the seized boats to the Jaffna District Fisheries Department authorities after completing formal procedures.
The incident has caused deep distress to the families of the arrested fishermen and the wider fishing community in Mayiladuthurai district.
Fishermen’s organisations have condemned what they described as repeated and excessive action by the Sri Lankan Navy, pointing out that arrests and boat seizures have severely impacted livelihoods.
They have urged the Tamil Nadu and Union governments to take immediate diplomatic steps to secure the release of the fishermen and their boats.
The organisations also reiterated long-standing demands for a permanent solution to prevent such arrests and ensure the safety and livelihood of fishermen operating in traditional fishing areas.