DMK MPs to protest at Parliament against arrest of fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy

The Sri Lankan Navy detained 10 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seized their mechanized boats while they were fishing in the Gulf of Mannar.

According to sources, DMK Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs, along with other opposition alliance MPs will be staging a protest on Friday at 10:30 am at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament.

Meanwhile, DMK said it will also hold a protest in Ramanathapuram district on February 8.

The fishermen were apprehended near the Mannar Lowlands and taken to the Mannar naval base for questioning, according to the Mandapam Fisherman Association.

The detained fishermen have been identified as D Efran, S Dron of Thangachimadam, and Prasad, Muniyaswamy, Siva, Anthony, Payas, Sesu, and K Ravi from Mandapam Gandhinagar.

Officials have stated that after interrogation, the fishermen and their boat (IND TN 11 MM 258) will be handed over to the Sri Lankan Fisheries Department for legal proceedings. The incident has sparked unrest among the local fishing community, who have repeatedly raised concerns about such detentions.

This latest detention follows a series of confrontations between Indian fishermen and Sri Lankan authorities. Just last week, six Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka were released and returned to Chennai. Their return was facilitated by Fisheries Department officials, marking yet another chapter in the ongoing tensions over fishing rights in the Palk Strait.

The issue has been further exacerbated by a recent incident in the Jaffna Sea, where two Indian fishermen from Karaikal sustained injuries after the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take immediate diplomatic measures to secure the release of detained fishermen and their boats. He has also called for sustained diplomatic engagement to protect fishermen's livelihoods and prevent future confrontations in the region. (ANI)