Sri Lankan navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen

RAMESWARAM: In the fifth such incident this month, Sri Lankan navy personnel arrested 15 Tamil Nadu fishermen on charges of allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line this morning.

Their three boats were also seized, Assistant Director of Fisheries Department Gopinath said.

The official had earlier stated that 20 fishermen were arrested.

Eleven of the fishermen, belonging to Rameswaram, were arrested near Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974, and they were taken to Talaimannar, he said.

Other fishermen, hailing from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district, were arrested near the Sri Lankan coast and taken to Kangesanthurai, he said.

He said a boat had sunk near Katchatheevu and six fishermen in it were rescued by other fishermen and brought here.

The navy has arrested 34 fishermen on different occasions earlier this month on charges of poaching in Sri Lankan waters.