'Talks would derail if Sri Lanka arrests Indian fishermen'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has said the talks between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen would derail if the island nation continued to arrest fishermen from the state.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Feb 4, the text of which was released to media Wednesday, Jayalalithaa mentioned that the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 30 Indian fishermen in the early hours of Tuesday.

She said the fishermen were arrested while fishing in their traditional waters of the Palk Bay.

Requesting Manmohan Singh to give personal attention to the matter, Jayalalithaa said: "Failure to take immediate action will not only derail the initiatives taken to put in place a conducive working arrangement through the fishermen-level talks but would also be disastrous for the livelihood of the fishermen community in Tamil Nadu."

She urged the prime minister to "initiate necessary and immediate action to ensure that all the 87 fishermen and the 19 fishing boats apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy over the past one week are released forthwith without prolonged detention".