A Sri Lankan Magistrate has ordered the remand of 32 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu until March 7, 2025, following their arrest by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
The fishermen, all from Rameswaram, were detained in the early hours of February 23, 2025, along with five boats, advanced communication devices, and banned equipment. The Sri Lankan Navy apprehended them off the coast of Thalaimannar as part of a joint naval operation targeting fishing activities along the Palk Strait.
The Navy also seized five trawlers belonging to Jesu Raja, Viyakulam, Jayaprakash, Arokiya Mandro, and Gopal, accusing them of violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and engaging in poaching. The arrests have sparked protests in Tamil Nadu, particularly in Rameswaram and Pamban, where fishermen have staged a boycott of fishing activities in protest.
Over 700 boats were anchored along the shore as part of the demonstration, with fishermen refusing to enter the sea until action is taken against the arrests.
Jesu Raja, the leader of the All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, expressed frustration with the Indian government’s inaction, despite its previous condemnation of similar arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy.
"The Union government continues to ignore our plight," he said, highlighting that this is not the first time Sri Lankan authorities have detained Indian fishermen. Earlier this month, 10 fishermen were arrested, and three boats were seized.
Demanding a permanent resolution to the ongoing arrests, Tamil Nadu fishermen's associations have called for a mass protest to pressure the Indian government into taking decisive action.
The detained fishermen were initially handed over to the Mannar District Fisheries Department for further investigation before being presented in Mannar Magistrate Court, which ruled to keep them in remand until March 7.
The incident is the latest in a long-standing dispute between Indian and Sri Lankan authorities over fishing rights in the Palk Strait, an area where Tamil Nadu fishermen frequently face arrests, intimidation, and confiscation of their vessels by the Sri Lankan Navy.
