The coastal communities of Tamil Nadu continue to face challenges as another group of ten fishermen from Thothoor village was allegedly arrested by the British Navy near Diego Garcia Island in the central Indian Ocean. According to officials from the Tamil Nadu fisheries department, the fishermen were detained while fishing for tuna in the early morning hours of Monday.
The arrest was reportedly made for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). Sources from the fisheries department revealed that the same boat used by the fishermen had previously been seized twice for allegedly crossing international borders.
The Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department has already informed the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, about the incident.
This incident follows the recent arrest of eight fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam in Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 12. Two mechanized boats were also impounded by Sri Lankan naval authorities. The arrests were made for allegedly crossing the IMBL and poaching near the Neduntheevu islet during the early hours of Sunday.
Fisheries department officials stated that they had issued tokens to 169 mechanized boats from the Rameswaram jetty on Saturday morning, with the boats scheduled to return to shore on Sunday evening. Sources added that the arrested fishermen were taken to a naval port in Sri Lanka, where they are being questioned. The impounded mechanized boats, belonging to Mukesh Kumar of Rameswaram and Maria Retrisan of Thangachimadam, are also being towed to the port.
Leaders of fishermen’s associations across coastal Tamil Nadu have condemned the midnight arrests. Antony John, a leader from Rameswaram, expressed concern that repeated pleas from fishermen’s associations to the Union government regarding such incidents have not resulted in redressal. He stated that it is no longer safe for fishermen to operate in the Palk Bay, noting that they have lost their livelihoods and properties to Sri Lankan authorities. Since 2018, around 270 trawlers have been impounded, leaving many fishermen jobless and burdened by debts they cannot repay.
