Sri Lankan navy detains ten Indian fishermen; sailor dies

TRICHY: Sri Lankan navy detained ten Indian fishermen and their boat on charges of poaching in the territorial waters of the island nation in the early hours of Tuesday. A Sri Lankan navy sailor died as boats collided in the operation to detain the 10 Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The detained fishermen included T M Mathi, 38, M Rajesh, 35, R Muthu Chetti, 70, D Vaidhyanathan, 45, S Kalaimurugan, 22, and S Govindasamy, 60, of Nagappattinam and S Manibalan, 55, of Cuddalore. The fishermen went for fishing on a boat owned by V Anandhan, 52, of Akkaraipettai in Nagappattinam district in the early hours of June 21.

According to the Sri Lankan navy's website, personnel aboard the navy's special boat squadron detected the ten Indian fishermen engaging in illegal poaching activities and subsequently detained them, along with their trawler.

It said, "During today's operation, a sailor from the navy's special boat squadron tragically succumbed to critical injuries. As he was boarding the poaching trawler from the fast attack craft, the accident occurred had led to fatal injuries, following the aggressive manoeuvres by the Indian trawler.” The navy boat was damaged.

Chief minister M K Stalin urged external affairs minister S Jaishankar to convene a meeting of the joint working group to prevent further arrests of Indian fishermen and secure the release of all 47 fishermen and 166 fishing boats currently under the custody of Sri Lankan authorities.