The Sri Lankan Navy said it had conducted “special operations” and arrested 27 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, as well as seizing five trawlers in Jaffna and Mannar.
The latest arrests come as the detention of fishermen from Tamil Nadu, an issue that has plagued relations between Colombo and Chennai for years, continues.
The Sri Lankan navy said it had used “Fast Attack Craft, Inshore Patrol Craft, and small vessels” to “chase away Indian poaching trawlers,” as it made several arrests.
The 15 Indian fishermen aboard two trawlers were apprehended by the North Central Naval Command off Mannar. Meanwhile, the Northern Naval Command seized three Indian trawlers with 12 Indian fishermen near the Delft and Kachchativu Islands.
In 2023 alone, the navy says it has has seized a total of 22 Indian trawlers and apprehended 137 Indian fishermen.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.