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The Sri Lankan Navy has detained 10 Indian fishermen from Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district and seized their mechanised boats while they were fishing in the Gulf of Mannar.
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. According to the Rameswaram Fisherman Association (RFA), the injured fishermen were part of a 13-member group fishing near Parutthura beach when their vessels were intercepted by a Sri Lankan Navy patrol. While attempting to flee toward Indian waters, the Sri Lankan Navy reportedly fired at them, injuring two who were later taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for treatment. The remaining crew members were handed over to local police, with Sri Lanka's Department of Aquatic Resources denying responsibility for the arrests. The Indian government had strongly protested the firing incident, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoning the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in Delhi. Diplomatic efforts have been ongoing, with both the Indian central government and the Tamil Nadu government working to secure the release of detained fishermen. Recently, 41 Indian fishermen, including 35 from Ramanathapuram who had been arrested near Katchatheevu in September 2024, were repatriated following diplomatic intervention. Additionally, on January 16, 15 more detained fishermen were released and returned to Chennai. These included eight arrested near Mannar Island on September 27 and 12 from Nagapattinam detained on November 11. In a separate repatriation effort, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) facilitated the return of 95 fishermen from Bangladesh on January 5, along with four fishing boats. 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)
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