Chennai, Jan 13 (NationPress) Amid the ongoing challenges faced by Tamil Nadu’s coastal communities due to the continuous detentions of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, ten fishermen hailing from Thothoor village in the state have purportedly been arrested by the British Navy close to Diego Garcia Island in the central Indian Ocean.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu fisheries department informed IANS that the British Navy apprehended the fishermen while they were engaged in tuna fishing during the early morning hours on Monday.

The fishermen were allegedly detained for violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

According to sources from the fisheries department, the same vessel utilized by the fishermen had been seized on two previous occasions for purportedly breaching international borders.

The Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department has already notified the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, regarding this incident.

It is worth noting that eight fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam in Tamil Nadu were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy early on January 12.

Additionally, two mechanized boats were confiscated by Sri Lankan naval authorities.

The Sri Lankan Navy stated that the arrests were made for allegedly crossing the IMBL and engaging in poaching near the Neduntheevu islet during the early hours of Sunday.

Officials from the fisheries department mentioned that they had issued tokens to 169 mechanized boats from Rameswaram jetty on Saturday morning, which were scheduled to return on Sunday evening.

Furthermore, sources indicated that the detained fishermen were transported to a naval port in Sri Lanka, where they are currently under interrogation.

The confiscated mechanized boats are also being towed to the port. These two boats belong to Mukesh Kumar of Rameswaram and Maria Retrisan of Thangachimadam, with registration numbers IND TN 10 MM 879 and IND TN 10 MM 159, respectively.

Leaders of fishermen’s associations across coastal Tamil Nadu have denounced the late-night arrests.

Antony John, a representative from Rameswaram, expressed to IANS that despite repeated appeals from fishermen’s associations to the Union government regarding such incidents, there has been no resolution.

With concern, he remarked that it is increasingly unsafe for fishermen to operate in the Palk Bay.

“We have not only lost our livelihoods but also our properties to the Sri Lankan authorities. Approximately 270 trawlers have been seized since 2018. Many fishermen have lost their jobs and are encumbered by unpayable debts,” he stated.

aal/rad