25 Indian fishermen arrested in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday arrested 25 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in the country's waters, officials said.

Naval spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said 25 fishermen have been arrested north of Jaffna's Delft island during the wee hours of today. Their six trawlers were also seized.

The fishermen are to be handed over to the police at Kankesanturai harbour.

The arrests followed talks between Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Rajitha Senaratne in New Delhi last week on the thorny issue of fishermen.

Both countries decided free all fishermen in their custody and release their vessels after the talks.

The arrests come ahead of a meeting scheduled for January 27 between a committee appointed to work out a joint mechanism.