Four fishermen of Pudukottai district and 12 fishermen from Nagapttinam district in Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of trespassing while fishing in the early hours on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
The Pudukottai fishermen identified as L. Arokiaraj (54), A. Ashok (28), A. Karuppu (22), and S. Sakthi (20) - all hailing from Kottaipattinam coastal village — set sail on board a mechanised vessel bearing the registration number IND TN08 MM 081 from the Kottaipattinam fishing harbour on Saturday morning.
Coastal Security Group sources said the fishermen were fishing about 30 nautical miles near ‘Alai Theevu’ at around 4.30 a.m. on Sunday when they were intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy and arrested on the charge of trespassing while fishing.
They were later taken to the naval base at Paruthithurai in the island nation for inquiry, the sources added.
Nagai fishers
Meanwhile, as many as 12 fishermen from Akkaraipettai and Keechankuppam villages in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of trespassing into the Island country’s waters while fishing during the early hours of Sunday, March 12, 2023.
According to the sources in the Department of Fisheries, the fishermen were identified as T. Anandha Maani, 44, S. Raja, 32, V. Ravi, 48, B. Madhibalan, 36, T. Velmayil, 48, J. Ramamoorthy, 38, M. Anbu, 32, S, Ravi 30, all natives of Akkaraipettai and K. Kathalingam, 50, K, Ragu, 32, P. Dinesh, 26, and S. Chithravel, 42, all natives of Keechankuppam in Nagapttinam district.
During the early hours on March 8, the fishermen had ventured into the sea in a mechanised boat bearing the registration number TND 06 MM 7818 from Akkaraipettai.
On Sunday morning, when they were fishing Neduntheevu, the Sri Lankan Navy intercepted and arrested them on the charge of trespassing. All of them were taken to Kankesanthurai naval base in Sri Lanka for inquiry, sources added.
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