21 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy for 'poaching', 146 arrested this year

The BJP and PMK branch in Tamil Nadu revealed Sunday that 21 additional fishermen had been arrested by Sri Lanka and urged the government to act quickly to secure the release of the fishermen and their boats.

21 fishermen have been detained by the island nation, according to top PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai. Their two boats have also been confiscated. The fishermen were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan authorities late on March 16.

Writing to External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, Annamalai said: “We bring to your kind attention the detention of 21 fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy and 2 fishing boats belonging to these fishermen were also apprehended. We request the intervention of our External affairs ministry to facilitate the early repatriation of the detainees and the release of their fishing boats.” Annamalai posted a copy of his letter to the minister on ‘X’.

More from World

This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal Zohran Mamdani says he would arrest Netanyahu if he is elected as NYC mayor, calls Israeli PM 'war criminal'

In a post on ‘X’, Anbumani, also a Rajya Sabha MP, said during the past one week, as many as 58 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Karaikal (Puducherry) have been arrested by Sri Lanka. “During the past two months, more than 80 fishermen have been arrested.”

The PMK leader said the Central government must not allow the ’endless arrests and attacks’ of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka. The union government should take action to secure the release of all the 58 fishermen and all their boats.

With inputs from PTI