Colombo: Four Indian fishermen were apprehended and their boat was seized by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in the island nation’s territorial waters near Mannar, officials said.
According to a statement issued by the Sri Lankan Navy Tuesday, the North Central Naval Command spotted multiple Indian fishing boats trespassing into Sri Lankan waters Monday. Patrol vessels were deployed to drive them away, during which one Indian boat was intercepted and four fishermen were taken into custody, it said.
The vessel and the detained fishermen were later brought to the Talaimannar Pier and handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for further legal action.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering the island nation’s territorial waters.
PTI
