In another significant incident within a couple of weeks, the Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended 37 Indian fishermen from Rameswaram for allegedly breaching the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and conducting fishing activities in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka. This incident occurred on Saturday night, and all the detained fishermen have been transported to Sri Lanka for further legal proceedings.
This incident comes on the heels of a nearly two-week-long strike by Indian fishermen in protest of the arrest of 27 of their compatriots. The strike was temporarily suspended to address the welfare of the fishing community, prompting approximately 463 boats from Rameswaram to venture out to sea on Saturday. According to sources, some of these fishermen were chased away by the Sri Lankan navy during the nighttime and a few were subsequently arrested for purportedly violating the IMBL.
The Fisheries department confirmed that approximately 37 fishermen from Rameswaram who had set out to sea on five boats have been detained for their alleged breach of the IMBL. These fishermen hail from the Rameshwaram, Pamban, and Thangachimadam regions, respectively. Sri Lankan Navy sources reported that in their operations, the North Central Naval Command and Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft, Inshore Patrol Craft, and smaller vessels to repel a group of Indian poaching trawlers. They had identified them engaging in unauthorized fishing in Sri Lankan waters on the 28th of October and again on the morning of the 29th.
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