Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday shot off another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to take immediate diplomatic action to secure the release of 46 Indian fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the Palk Bay.
She also urged Mr. Modi to help in the release of 34 boats in the custody of Sri Lanka.
In her letter, Ms. Jayalalithaa pointed out that the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 46 fishermen — 24 from the Kottaipattinam fishing base in Pudukkottai district and 22 from the Rameswaram fishing base in Ramanathapuram district — in two separate incidents on Wednesday and took them to Kankesanthurai and Thalaimannar.
While the Sri Lankan forces took away 11 boats belonging to the arrested fishermen, they damaged and sunk one vessel, whose five fishermen were rescued by fellow seafarers, the Chief Minister said. Another 23 boats captured earlier were in the custody of Sri Lankans.
Pointing out that on earlier two occasions in the recent past, when fishermen were arrested, she had written to Mr. Modi for his help, she said the arrested fishermen were released immediately, and the Prime Minister’s prompt response was appreciated by all sections.
Unfortunately, while the fishermen were released, their 23 boats and fishing gear were not released, and this deprived the fishermen of their livelihood. The Chief Minister said long period of disuse would render the boats and the fishing gear useless, and the poor fishermen would suffer an enormous economic loss, calling upon the Prime Minister to help in getting the boats back.
