32 T.N. fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy

Representational image. File
| Photo Credit: L. Balachandar

In a fresh incident, 32 fishermen from Rameswaram, Thangachimadam and nearby areas in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel on charges of poaching along the Palk Straits in the wee hours of Sunday (February 23, 2025). Five trawlers were also seized.

Fisheries department officials said that they had issued 478 tokens to the fishermen from Rameswaram fishing harbour on Saturday.

When the fishermen were fishing near Mannar, the Navy personnel on surveillance, secured the fishermen and took them to a Naval base.

Along with the trawlers, the catch by them too were seized, sources said and added that one of the trawlers belonged to a fishermen leader Jesu Raja of Thangachimadam.

Auction of trawlers by Sri Lankan government

A fishermen association leader in Rameswaram told The Hindu that the Sri Lankan authorities had announced to sell 67 trawlers through public auction, including five country boats and 62 mechanised boats seized by the Navy in 2024.

“It is very painful and an unfair decision by the Sri Lankan government to sell our assets,” he said. “At a time, when the fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been pleading for safe and secure fishing activity along the Palk Straits, the stoic silence by the Union and State governments had come as a shock. It has been our right from time immemorial to fish in the Palk Straits”, he added.

“We are not asking for any favour or undue assistance….” Mr. Jesu Raja said and added “We have been pleading with the Central government to arrange for a meeting with the Sri Lankan Northern Province fishermen leaders as they have been raising objections.”

Since the beginning of this year, over 100 Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested and 20 trawlers were seized by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel.

In recent times, the Sri Lankan courts imposed hefty fines and also ordered jail term for fishermen, under the guise of repeated offence. This is nothing but cruelty and humiliation, a fishermen leader contended.

A week ago, the fishermen welfare associations had sought a permanent solution and given an ultimatum of February 28, failing which they have proposed to indulge in a series of strikes from March 1.