Six fishermen, who ventured into the sea, from Rameswaram fishing harbour on Saturday, were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy on charge of fishing in their waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. The mechanised boat in which they were sailing was also seized by the Navy.
According to police here, the fishermen had sailed in the boat belonging to A. Nishanth (38) of Thangachimadam. When they were fishing in the deep sea along Dhanushkodi, they were arrested.
The arrested fishermen were identified as K. Andi (58), V. Karunanidhi (46), A. Ulaganathan (50), all from Rameswaram and Nishanth, S. Susai Viyakulam (35) and A. Biyatli Sesu (37), all from Thangachimadam.
Meanwhile, Federation of All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Associations has called for a one day strike on Monday condemning the arrest of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.
According to an official statement by the Sri Lankan Navy, the fishermen were arrested on Saturday off Talaimannar. They who remain in naval custody in Talaimannar, will be handed over to the fisheries inspector in Mannar, it added.
The latest arrest came after 10 Indian fishermen were arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lanka's waters on August 22.
(With inputs from PTI)
