Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Urges Centre to Address Rising Fishermen Arrests by Sri Lankan Navy

GG News Bureau
Chennai, 27th August. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has raised a serious concern with the Centre regarding the recent apprehension of eight more fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. In a letter to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Stalin highlighted the growing frequency of such incidents, marking this as the second occurrence within a week.

On August 23, the Sri Lankan Navy had detained 11 Indian fishermen for alleged maritime boundary violations. In the latest incident, the eight fishermen had departed from Rameswaram, and their boat was seized by the Sri Lankan authorities.

Stalin’s letter detailed that currently, 116 fishermen and 184 boats are held in Sri Lankan custody. He expressed profound concern over the repeated arrests, noting that these incidents cause severe distress to the fishermen’s families and exacerbate the economic challenges faced by the local fishing community. “Their livelihood depends on these waters, and such arrests not only affect the well-being of the fishermen but also jeopardize the well-being of their families back home,” Stalin stated.

The Chief Minister urged Jaishankar to expedite diplomatic efforts to secure the prompt release of all Indian fishermen and boats held by Sri Lanka.