Rameswaram: In yet another incident highlighting tensions in the Palk Bay, seven fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the early hours of Thursday on charges of alleged poaching.
Two mechanised fishing trawlers were also seized during the operation.
According to officials from the fisheries department, a total of 365 fishing tokens had been issued from the Rameswaram fish landing centre Wednesday (March 25). The arrested fishermen were part of two boats reportedly operating near the Neduntheevu islet when they were intercepted by Sri Lankan naval authorities.
The vessels are said to be owned by Simson and Sasikumar. Following initial inquiries at sea, the fishermen were taken into custody and escorted to a naval port in Sri Lanka for further legal proceedings.
News of the arrests triggered protests in Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district, where agitated fishermen gathered near the Karl Marx statue and staged a demonstration.
Protesters raised slogans against the Sri Lankan government, condemning the frequent arrests and demanding the immediate release of the detained fishermen and their boats.
Fishermen’s associations have also urged the Union government to intervene decisively, stating that repeated detentions were severely affecting livelihoods in the region.
An emergency meeting of fishermen representatives is scheduled for 4 p.m. to decide on the next course of action. Fishermen leader Jesu Raja said the community has been facing such hardships for over four decades and that fishing remained their only source of income, with nearly 90 per cent of families depending on it, warning that their survival could soon be at risk if governments failed to find a permanent solution.
He further stressed the need for securing traditional fishing rights in the Palk Bay, noting that fishermen from the region had historically operated in these waters.
Another fisherman, Antony, questioned why such arrests continued despite India describing Sri Lanka as a friendly nation, adding that the impounding of boats and imposition of fines had pushed many families into debt and left several fishermen jobless. Each mechanised trawler costs around Rs 40 lakh, and over 180 boats have been impounded since 2018, worsening the crisis, he added.
