Chennai, Aug 27, 2024, IANS

Chennai, Aug 27 (IANS) Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested during the early hours of Tuesday by the Sri Lankan Navy. The fishermen were arrested for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The arrested fishermen were taken to the Mannar Naval camp in Sri Lanka along with their mechanised fishing boat. All the eight arrested fishermen are from the Rameswaram area of the state. Fishermen association leader R. Rajendran while speaking to IANS called upon the immediate intervention of the state and central governments for the arrested fishermen's release. He said, "The arrest of our fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy is highly deplorable and we strongly raise our protest against this inhuman treatment by the Sri Lankan Navy." It may be recalled that the Sri Lankan Navy had arrested 11 Tamil fishermen from Nagapattinam and Rameswaram a day before. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin had said that since the beginning of 2024, a total of 324 fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for crossing the IMBL. On August 1, 2024, a mechanised fishing boat from Rameswaram capsized when it was chased by the Sri Lankan navy on charges of crossing into its waters. Of the four fishermen on board the fishing boat, one died, one went missing in the sea and two were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. The deceased was identified as Malaisamy (59), while the missing fisherman was Ramachandran (64). Two other fishermen, M. Mookiah (54) and Muthu Muniandi (56) were arrested but later handed over to Indian officials. CM Stalin shot off a letter to Union External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar for the immediate intervention of the Centre to solve the vexed issue. It is to be noted that fishermen from several fishing hamlets of Tamil Nadu, including Rameswaram, Pudukottai and Nagapattinam are apprehensive of venturing into the sea after regular attacks from the Sri Lankan Navy in mid-sea. K.Sreemathi, wife of Ramalingam, a fisherman who had suffered injuries in the deep sea in an attack by the Sri Lankan Navy while speaking to IANS said, "We are now afraid of our men venturing into the sea as they are facing unexpected attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy. Unless the Government of India and Tamil Nadu government intervene and bring a permanent solution to this, we will starve to death.” She called upon the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to exert pressure on the Centre for a permanent solution.