Eleven Tamil Nadu fishermen are arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy

Chennai: According to authorities on Thursday, the Sri Lankan Navy captured 11 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and sent them to the Kangesanthurai Naval Camp for further examination. Eleven fishermen from Tamil Nadu were caught in a single boat while fishing in the Bay of Bengal, according to the Rameswaram Fishermen Association.

Thirteen Tamil Nadu fishermen who were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing beyond authorized limits were released by the Indian Embassy in Colombo and returned to India earlier on March 20.

The fishermen were detained for over a month after being captured on February 26 and appearing in Mallakam court in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, three fishermen suffered injuries that led to their admission to a government hospital in Sri Lanka. Following negotiations between the two parties, the Sri Lankan court allegedly freed 13 fishermen on March 12.

The fishermen were given temporary passports and then sent to India with tickets on flights from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, to Chennai.

They were greeted by Department representatives from the Karaikal region, who then drove them there in a different car.

Three fishermen were previously caught by the Sri Lankan Navy on March 18 while fishing in the Palk Bay Sea region close to Delft Island. The names of the people who were taken into custody were S. Murugesan (49), M. Arjunan (35), and A. Shankar (53).

The Sri Lankan Navy allegedly informed the fishermen that they had exceeded the maritime boundary after they were granted fishing licenses on March 17. The boat that was taken, IND-TN-10-MM-496, is the property of Thangachimadam Kennedy. The three males are being looked at by authorities.

Concerned about the rise in Indian fishermen being captured by the Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin called on the Center to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) in order to resolve the matter permanently on February 23.