Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) Mar 18 (UNI) The Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday apprehended three Indian fishermen and seized their mechanised fishing trawler, allegedly for violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and indulging in illegal fishing activities in its territorial waters.

Fisheries department officials said here that the fishermen, hailing from Rameswaram, were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy during a special operation when they were fishing on the high seas close to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

The Sri Lankan Navy claimed that it continues to conduct regular patrols and operations to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing boats trespassing into the island nation’s waters, taking into account the impact of those unlawful practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.

As an extension of these operations, the Sri Lankan Navy spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing in the northern sea area off Delft Island, Jaffna, and in response the Northern Naval Command deployed its craft to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters.

The compliant boarding made by Lankan naval personnel resulted in the apprehension of three Indian fishermen and seizure of one Indian boat, which continued to engage in illegal fishing.

The apprehended fishermen and their boat were taken to the Kankesanthurai Harbour, where they will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mailadi, Jaffna, for onwards legal proceedings.

With this, the Sri Lankan maritime forces arrested 145 Indian fishermen and seized 19 Indian fishing trawlers so far this year.

It may be recalled that the mechanised boat fishermen of Rameswaram had observed a nine-day strike, besides a sit-in protest, after the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 32 fisherfolk from Rameswaram on April 23.

A fishermen's delegation from Rameswaram, led by Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on March 13 in New Delhi and sought a permanent solution to the recurring arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and heavy fines imposed on them by the Lankan government.

UNI GSM ARN