Twelve Tamil Nadu fishermen were on Sunday arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their waters near Talaimannar, a fishermen association office-bearer said.
The arrest comes shortly after the island nation proposed a draconian legislation banning fishing in its territorial waters by foreign trawlers.
The Sri Lankan Navy personnel also seized two boats used by them and snapped the nets of around 50 boats, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Fishermen’s Association general secretary N.J. Bose said in Rameswaram.
The arrested fishermen were from this island and have been taken to nearby Mannar, he added.
The fishermen have been charged with fishing not only in the Sri Lankan territory, but also with using banned fishing nets which destroys the sea wealth of their nation, according to information reaching the police in Rameswaram.
Police officials said the Sri Lankan Navy men were keeping a strict vigil in the Katchatheevu area for the past one week and had chased away hundreds of fishermen who were fishing near the islet.
Nearly 2,000 Tamil Nadu fishermen had been chased away on January 23 by the Sri Lankan Navy which hurled stones and snapped fishing nets of 50 boats for allegedly fishing close to their territorial waters off the Katchatheevu islet.
