North India Statesman
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The fishermen of Tamil Nadu were shot by the Sri Lankan Navy while catching a deep sea fish on Tuesday morning. Two fishermen were injured in the incident and 13 fishermen were arrested. According to the report, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested these fishermen on the international maritime border line and on charges of fishing in their regional water. These fishermen are from Karaikal in Tamil Nadu and were fishing near Neduntivu when the Sri Lankan Navy caught them and seized their boats.
The Navy says that fishermen were trying to avoid arrest, but were later taken to the Kankesanthurai Fishing Harbor in Sri Lanka. The incident is the second incident of arrest of fishermen in two days. Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 34 fishermen and seized their boats, out of which 32 fishermen were from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed serious concern over the arrest of fishermen and on Monday, a letter to Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has requested to take diplomatic steps to ensure their immediate release.
CM Stalin’s letter to Foreign Minister
In his letter, CM Stalin referred to another incident of seizing boats by the Sri Lankan Navy. He said that all the fishermen had gone from Rameswaram port to fish in three mechanized boats, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Dhanushkodi. This is a matter of severe concern and should be resolved immediately.
‘Time has come to take diplomatic steps’
The Chief Minister said, “The atmosphere of anxiety and apprehension is arising in the coastal communities due to repeated detention of our fishermen. They are feeling uncertain and dark in their future. The time has come to take concrete diplomatic steps to prevent the Sri Lankan Navy from arresting our fishermen. Therefore, I appeal to you to take immediate necessary action through diplomatic mediums to stop the arrest of our fishermen and ask the Sri Lankan officers to release the fishermen and get their boats released. ”
