Chennai, May 5 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday night

wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar urging him to ensure the

security of Indian fishermen, prevent the recurrence of attacks by the Sri Lankan

Navy and to stop the scuttling of apprehended fishing boats.

In a Demi-Official letter to Dr Jaishankar, copies of which released to the media

here, he also urged him to take all necessary steps to bring back 229 fishing boats

apprehended by Sri Lanka by taking up these pressing issues with the Island

government.

Drawing his immediate attention some issues that have been causing considerable

distress amongst the coastal communities of Tamil Nadu, Mr Stalin highlighted three

key issues --repeated instances of attacks on fishermen, decision on confiscated

boats by the Sri Lankan Government and support for salvage boats.

Mr Stalin said of late, there has been an increase in the number of attacks on Indian

fishermen by Sri Lankan nationals.

On May two, 23 fishermen from the coastal villages of Nagapattinam district and their

five country boats were attacked at sea by unidentified Sri Lankan nationals in separate

incidents.

Their GPS devices, mobile phones, VHF equipment, ice boxes, engine components,

inverter batteries, stove, approximately 470 kg of fishing nets, and personal belongings

such as gold and silver jewellery were snatched away, he pointed out.

"I request you to take this up urgently with the authorities concerned, both in India and

Sri Lanka, so that such instances threatening lives and livelihoods do not occur again

and the attackers are deterred from indulging in such acts", he said.

Mr Stalin said it has been reported that Sri Lanka’s Department of Fisheries and Aquatic

Resources (DFAR) has formally recommended the scuttling of 34 Indian boats confiscated

in 2022 and 2023 as part of a project to develop artificial reef ecosystems.

Stating that the loss of fishing boats will be detrimental to the livelihood of fishermen, the

Chief Minister requested the Indian Government to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government

to not scuttle the boats seized from our fishermen and also to ensure the return of boats to

the fishermen.

Pointing out that As of May 5, 2025, 229 fishing boats belonging to fishermen from Tamil

Nadu are under the custody of Sri Lanka, Mr Stalin said the Tamil Nadu Government had

sent a proposal to the Union Government for the repatriation of 12 fishing boats that were

released by Sri Lankan Courts, and to obtain clearance for 14 salvage boats along with

101 fishermen to facilitate the recovery of these vessels.

"We hope the External Affairs Ministry will facilitate this at the earliest", Mr Stalin said and

earnestly urged Dr Jaishankar to take up these pressing issues with the Lankan Government

to ensure the security of Indian fishermen and to prevent the recurrence of such attacks, to

stop the scuttling of apprehended fishing boats and to take all necessary steps to bring back

229 fishing boats apprehended by Sri Lanka.

UNI GV 2110