Chennai, Feb 23 Tensions escalated along the Palk Strait after the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 12 fishermen from Pamban on Monday and seized their mechanised trawler on charges of alleged poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
According to officials from the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department, the arrested fishermen had set out to sea on Sunday in a mechanised boat owned by David, a resident of Pamban near Rameswaram.
The vessel was reportedly intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing in waters between Katchatheevu and Mannar.
The fishermen were expected to return to shore by noon on Monday but failed to do so, raising concern among their families.
Following their detention, the fishermen were taken to the naval port at Talaimannar for further enquiry, officials said.
Fishermen associations in Rameswaram strongly condemned the arrests and appealed to the Centre to intervene immediately, stating that repeated detentions were threatening their livelihood and creating uncertainty among coastal communities.
Fishermen leader Jesu Raja expressed shock over the development, noting that just last week 22 Indian fishermen were arrested and four trawlers impounded by Sri Lankan authorities.
“With only a few days left for the annual festival at St. Antony’s Church in Katchatheevu, such actions have caused distress and disharmony among fisherfolk on both sides,” he said.
Sri Lankan authorities had recently extended invitations to Indian pilgrims to attend the two-day Katchatheevu festival.
However, Raja said the continuing arrests have left many fishermen uncertain about participating in the celebrations. He pointed out that similar detentions had occurred last year in the run-up to the festival.
Meanwhile, efforts by boat owners to secure legal relief have reportedly met with setbacks.
After a Sri Lankan court recently directed the release of six impounded trawlers, around 10 fishermen from Rameswaram travelled to Sri Lanka hoping to retrieve their boats. However, they were informed that boat owners would also face poaching charges, prompting them to return home disappointed.
A boat owner alleged that local advocates in Sri Lanka were reluctant to represent Indian fishermen, making legal recourse difficult.
Fishermen leaders reiterated that only direct intervention by the Union government and support from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka could lead to a lasting solution to the recurring crisis.
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