Sri Lankan Navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen, seizes three boats

Sri Lankan Navy has captured 15 Indian fishermen and seized three boats for allegedly poaching on Sri Lankan waters, as per news reports on Tuesday.

Chennai: The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 15 Indian fishermen and seized three boats for allegedly poaching on Sri Lankan waters near Katchatheevu, as per news reports on Tuesday.

The incident took place yesterday evening when a group of fishermen crossed over to the Sri Lankan territory and were immediately arrested.

They were then reportedly taken to the Talaimannar coast along with their three boats.

The boats are reportedly owned by Britto, Kudbuddin and Nizamudin.

The fishermen are not allowed near Katchatheevu, though they had the right to dry their nets in the island as per the agreement under which the islet was ceded by India to Lanka in 1974, they said.

The recent arrest of the Indian fishermen comes a day after Sri Lanka had said that it will hold discussions on solution to the fishermen issue with India.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry had said that the issue requires careful attention as it impacts the livelihood of fishermen from both the countries.

In April, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had taken a stern stand on the issue and said that instructions have been issued to the navy to seize boats that violate country's territorial waters.