Nine Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by Lankan Navy

RAMESWARAM: Nine Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested while fishing off the Sri Lankan coast while in another incident 50 nets were damaged allegedly by the Lankan Navy when local fishermen were fishing near Katchatheevu, a top fisheries department official today said.

In the first incident, the fishermen from Kottaipattinam and Jegadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested while fishing near Iranatheevu island, a sensitive area where the LTTE had their camp earlier, around midnight last night, Pudukottai Assistant Director of fisheries Sekhar told PTI.

The Lankan Navy arrested the fishermen along with their two boats, he said.

Rameswaram Assitant director of fisheries Gopinath said 50 fishing nets of Rameswaram fishermen were damaged when their boats were attacked allegedly by Lankan naval personnel while fishing near Katchatheevu today.