Fourteen Indian fishermen, hailing from various coastal villages of Karaikal district in Puducherry, and Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts in Tamil Nadu, were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly trespassing into the waters of the island nation, off the coast of the Kovilan Point Lighthouse on the island of Karaitivu near Jaffna on Sunday (December 18, 2023) evening.
According to sources, a group of 14 fishermen had set sail on board a mechanised boat from the Karaikal fishing harbour on Saturday. They were intercepted by the Northern Naval Command of the Sri Lankan Navy mid-sea near Karaitivu, close to Jaffna on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and poaching in Sri Lanka’s waters.
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested them, impounded their mechanised boat, and took them to the Kankesanthurai Naval Base for further investigations.
The arrested persons were identified as P. Panner, 56, V. Vignesh, 29, P. Ranjith, 22, V. Bharath, 23, B. Vineeth, 25, E. Manikandan, 27, A. Muthuchetti, 49, P. Sivaguru, 40, S. Senthamizhselvam, 36, S. Ravi, 58, S. Nivas, 23, all natives of coastal villages of Karaikalmedu, Kottucherrymedu and Thirumalairayanpattinam in Karaikal district; and S. Singaravel, 43, S. Kabilan, 25, both natives of Akkaraipettai in Nagapattinam district; and P. Karthik, 21, of Tharangambadi in Mayiladuthurai district.
The Meenava Panchayathars of Kottucherrymedu have sought the intervention of the Central and State government to get the fishermen and their impounded boat, released.
With this incident, over 50 Indian fishermen from various coastal villages of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry have been arrested this month alone, by the Sri Lankan Navy. This year (2023), the Sri Lankan Navy has arrested a total of 240 Indian fishermen and impounded 35 mechanised boats on the charges of poaching.
