Sri Lankan Navy allegedly harasses Nagapattinam fishermen in mid-sea

NAGAPATTINAM (Tamil Nadu): Fishermen from Seruthur village in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu have alleged that they have been harassed by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel when they were fishing southeast of Kodiakkarai in a fibre boat.

During the incident, Sri Lankan Navy personnel reportedly rammed their vessel into the Indian fishing boat and seized fishing nets worth Rs2.6 lakh, a GPS device, a walkie-talkie, and other equipment. The fishermen alleged that the Sri Lankan naval patrol ship also cut their fishing nets, seized the fuel from their boat, and engaged in a clear act of harassment.

Fishermen Shanmugam, Jayaraman, Sakthimayil, and Manimar, who lost their fishing gear and equipment, have since returned to the shore in fear.

Tamil Nadu fishermen getting arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy is a recurring instance, for which the State leadership has sought a permanent solution from the Centre, even by retrieving Katchatheevu island, located in Palk Bay, from Sri Lanka.

In April this year, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution, urging the Union government to take steps to retrieve the Katchatheevu island.

The resolution moved by Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “Retrieval of Katchatheevu island is the only permanent solution to protect the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen and to mitigate the sufferings faced by them due to the Sri Lankan Navy.”

On March 27 this year, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 11 Tamil Nadu fishermen and took them to Kangesanthurai Naval camp for investigation, officials said. On March 20, 13 Tamil Nadu fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing outside the approved boundaries returned home to India after being handed over by the Indian Embassy in Colombo.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: 13 Indian fishermen released from Sri Lankan prison arrive in Chennai. At the airport, they were received by Fisheries Department officials pic.twitter.com/S71i2C5JsK

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025

The group of fishermen were arrested on February 26 and was produced in Mallakam court in Sri Lanka, kept imprisoned for nearly a month. Additionally, three fishermen were also admitted to a government hospital in Sri Lanka due to sustaining injuries. The Sri Lankan court reportedly released 13 fishermen on March 12 after talks between the two sides.

On February 23, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed concern over the increase in the capture of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, urging the Centre to convene a Joint Working Group (JWG) to find a permanent solution to the issue. (ANI)