Navy arrests 14 Indian fishermen

Sri Lanka Navy on Sunday arrested 14 Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters. Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya said they were arrested off the coast of Jaffna’s Delft islet this morning at around 10 am local time.

They are currently in the fisheries inspection office at Karainagar in Jaffna, the Navy said. The fishermen belonged to Rameswaram and Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district. Indian fisheries officials said three boats of the fishermen had also been seized by the Sri Lankan navy personnel.

The arrest comes days after five Indian fishermen on death row in Sri Lanka were released by the Sri Lankan government. They had been arrested in Sri Lankan waters in November 2011, on charges of drug trafficking.

Meanwhile Indian media reported today that a group of Rameswaram fishermen were chased away by Sri Lankan Naval personnel while fishing in the Palk Strait.

The Sri Lankan Naval personnel chased away more than 20 fishermen who were fishing in midsea near the maritime borders, officials and a fishermen association functionary were quoted as saying by PTI.

President of Rameswaram Fishermen Organisation S Emiret claimed the fishermen were not aware whether the area was Indian or Sri Lankan territory.

As the Sri Lankan naval personnel asked them to move away, the fishermen panicked, cut off their fishing nets themselves and fled the scene, fisheries officials said.

The officials said the fishermen lost fish and fishing net estimated to be 1 million Indian rupees.