Chennai, Dec 29 (NationPress) Fishermen in the Ramanathapuram district are poised to initiate an indefinite strike starting Monday, in response to the apprehension of three fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy and the ongoing confiscation of Indian fishing vessels.

The protest, organized by the Mandapam Fishermen Association, is anticipated to halt fishing operations throughout the region as frustrations escalate regarding the repeated detentions, which fishermen claim jeopardize their means of survival.

The recent event took place on Sunday when three fishermen – Amostin A (24), Jonedass S (37), and Paraloga Jebastian Anrose A (25) – were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

The group had set out from the Mandapam North fishing harbour along with over 300 mechanized boats and were fishing close to Neduntheevu when they were intercepted by the Sri Lankan naval forces.

The fishermen were subsequently transported to a Sri Lankan Navy facility for interrogation and later transferred to the Jaffna Fisheries Department at the Mailady fishing harbour along with their confiscated vessel.

This latest round of arrests has provoked strong backlash from the fishing community, especially following a similar incident on December 23, which saw the Sri Lankan Navy detaining 12 fishermen from Rameswaram.

The earlier incident led to a one-day strike and a wave of protests advocating for diplomatic intervention.

In light of these arrests, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reached out to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday, calling on the central government to take swift and decisive action to facilitate the release of the detained fishermen and their boats.

In his correspondence, the Chief Minister highlighted that the ongoing detentions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities have inflicted significant distress within coastal communities.

He stated, “The relentless apprehension of our fishermen and the confiscation of their boats persists. Currently, 61 fishermen and 248 fishing vessels from Tamil Nadu remain in the custody of Sri Lanka,” urging immediate diplomatic engagement to avert further incidents and ensure the safety of Indian fishermen.

As tensions escalate, fishing communities throughout the Ramanathapuram district assert that they will not resume operations until tangible measures are taken to secure the release of their fellow fishermen and guarantee long-term protection for those reliant on the sea for their livelihoods.