Lankan navy arrests 4 TN fishermen

Four Indian fishermen from a village in Nagapattinam district were today arrested by Sri Lankan Navy after they strayed into Lankan waters, officials said.
Fisheries department officials said that the fishermen from Pushpavanam village, who were reported missing after they ventured out for fishing yesterday, had strayed into Lankan waters due to a rough sea and were rescued by their Lankan counterparts who then handed them over to the island nation's navy.
Lankan Navy has arrested the four fishermen and they have been remanded in judicial custody, said a fisheries department official.
Coastal marine police and Coast Guard were searching for the four fishermen when they got news of their arrest, said the official.

Efforts would be made to get the four fishermen released from Lankan custody, officials added.
On Sunday, Lankan Navy had arrested 14 Tamil Nadu fishermen from near Jaffna Peninsula on charges of poaching in Lankan waters, prompting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to seek the Centre's intervention for their release.