In a fresh case of alleged poaching charge, Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested 19 fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam near Neduntheevu in the early hours of Thursday,
According to information, the fishermen were said to be engaged in fishing near the islet in the two boats owned by Alex and Anton Sasikumar.
The boats were impounded and all the 19 fishermen were taken to Kankesanthurai Port for further investigation.
Only four days ago, 23 fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. In protest, the fishermen stayed away from venturing into the sea the following day. Many political parties in Tamil Nadu condemned the arrest and demanded the Union government to get the fishermen released from the island nation.
When The Hindu contacted fishermen leader Jesu Raja, he said “We are looking at the Union government for help in rescuing our 150 impounded boats in the past five years. Such arrests of our fishermen have only pushed us deep into the debts. Moreover, fishing in the Palk Bay has become dangerous,” Mr. Raja said adding that the community members were undergoing mental stress due to this kind of treatment by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel.
“The fisheries sector contributed a whopping ₹50,000 crore to the foreign exchange annually. A major chunk of the produce was from the Ramanathapuram coastal district. Despite this, the fishermen continued to remain as a labour and work in an unsafe environment,” Mr. Jesu Raja said and hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened at the highest level and brought in respect to the fishing community and ensure there was no threats to our livelihood.
The fishermen associations are likely to hold an urgent meeting in the coastal district on their next course of action.
