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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday requested Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar to secure the immediate release of apprehended fishermen and their fishing boats.
CM Stalin, in his letter to the External Minister, said that three mechanized fishing boats and 22 fishermen had been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy. "I request your urgent intervention in a matter of great concern affecting our country's fishermen. The Sri Lankan Navy apprehended three mechanized fishing boats (two registered in Tamil Nadu and one registered in Puducherry) along with 22 fishermen in two separate incidents on March 10, 2024," he said. The Chief Minister alleged that the state fishermen have been harassed, and arrested and their vessels were detained while they were fishing in the traditional waters. "As you are aware, our fishermen have been fishing in the traditional waters adjacent to our nation for generations. It is the only source of their livelihood. However, in recent months, our fishermen have been harassed, arrested and their vessels are also being detained, in alarming numbers," he said. "These detentions have not only caused immense distress to the affected fishermen and their families but have also severely disrupted their only source of livelihood," CM Stalin added. He further appealed to the Union Minister to intervene swiftly and decisively to secure the immediate release of our fishermen and their boats. "Given the sensitivity of this matter, I appeal to you to intervene swiftly and decisively to secure the immediate release of our fishermen and their boats," he said. Meanwhile, seven fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of 'trespassing' in the early hours of March 10. As per the information, the seven fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for trespassing while fishing at a distance of 32 nautical miles near Neduntheevu Naval Camp, Sri Lanka. These fishermen had set sail from the Jegathapattinam barge port on March 9. The arrested fishermen have been identified as Kaliappan, Akhilan, Kodi Mari, Sheikh Abdullah, Thangaraj, Jayaraman, and Saravanan. The arrested fishermen belong to the Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, and Pudukottai districts. (ANI)
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