A total of 32 fishermen from Pamban in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching on Thursday (August 8, 2024). Their four country boats were also seized.
As the news of the arrest spread in the coastal habitation, fellow fisherfolk expressed disappointment and their family members wept uncontrollably.
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The fisheries department officials and police sources in Rameswaram said the 32 fishermen ventured into Palk Bay on four country boats belonging to Alex, Ranjan, Charles and Susai Martin on August 6. The Sri Lankan Navy surveillance team intercepted them, accusing them of violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and detained them.
According to the fishermen leaders in Pamban, the 32 fishermen were being taken to Puthalam district in Sri Lanka to be produced before a court.
It was only on Thursday (August 8, 2024) that a court in Sri Lanka released 13 fishermen from Tamil Nadu – seven from Pamban and six from Pudukottai district.
The arrest of the 32 fishermen has shaken the country boat fishermen associations here. Already, the mechanised boat fishermen in Rameswaram had announced an indefinite strike after a fisherman drowned mid-sea when his boat was allegedly hit by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel last week.
As a sequel, the fishermen leaders led by Sesu Raja and Rayappan from Ramanathapuram district and others from Pudukottai district had gone to New Delhi. On the initiative of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, a delegation led by MPs Kanimozhi, A. Raja, Navas Kani and T.N. Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan had met Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. He assured them that steps would be taken at the earliest as Sri Lanka was facing elections.
Protest in Jantar Mantar
On Thursday (August 8, 2024), the fishermen leaders staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Sesu Raja said a fishermen delegation met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and told him about the issues they faced at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy. Mr. Gandhi had promised that their problems would be raised in Parliament effectively and a solution arrived at, he said.
On the arrest of the 32 country boat fishermen, Mr. Sesu Raja said that from June 15 (when the annual two-month ban on fishing ended) till now, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested 109 fishermen. Fifty-two of them were released, 12 were jailed for repeating the offence and 45 others were remand prisoners in Sri Lanka.
He hoped the issue would not precipitate, and the Union government register its strong protest with its counterpart immediately.
