Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu faced heightened tension among fishermen as the Sri Lankan Navy detained three Indian fishermen and confiscated their trawler on allegations of poaching in Sri Lankan waters. This incident has reignited concerns over the prolonged issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen being held while fishing in the Palk Strait area. The arrested fishermen were identified as Rooban, Nagarajan, and Prabhu by officials from the Fisheries Department in Rameswaram.
The trio had departed from the Rameswaram fishing harbor late on Monday night after obtaining necessary approvals. While fishing near Neduntheevu (Delft Island), they were apprehended by a Sri Lankan Navy patrol team and taken into custody. Their trawler was seized and transported to the Karainagar Naval Base in northern Sri Lanka. Authorities mentioned that 415 fishing tokens were issued on Monday for local fishermen to sail into the sea.
Despite the expectation of most boats returning by Tuesday evening, the news of the arrest spread rapidly, causing anxiety and uncertainty among the fishermen’s families awaiting their return. V.P. Jesu Raja, a fishermen’s association leader in Rameswaram, criticized the repeated detentions, stating that they have deeply affected the community. He emphasized the need for meaningful dialogue between the Indian and Sri Lankan governments to address the livelihood concerns of the fishermen.
Fishermen’s representatives highlighted that this is the third such incident in less than a fortnight, with 13 fishermen from the region being arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and three trawlers being seized in the past 15 days. Many previously detained fishermen were released after paying hefty fines imposed by Sri Lankan courts, causing financial strain on their families. Jesu Raja expressed the challenges faced by fishermen due to seized boats and escalating legal costs, urging the Union government to promptly intervene and secure the release of the detained fishermen and their vessels.
