17 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan navy

Sri Lankan Navy today arrested 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen in two separate incidents on charges of fishing in their territorial waters.

While 13 of the fishermen belonged to Rameswaram, the others hailed from Jadadapattinam in Puduckottai district, P Sesuraja and S Emiret, leaders of Rameswaram Fishermen's Association said.

All the fishermen were arrested near Neduntheevu and their boats, three in number, were taken to Kanagesanthurai in Sri Lanka by the navy personnel, they said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had yesterday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send a "firm message" to Sri Lanka over continued detention of the state's fishermen.
 

The detention of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy continues "unabated" despite Indo-Sri Lankan fishermen level talks and Inter-Ministerial talks being held from time to time, he had said in a letter to Modi after seven fishermen were arrested yesterday.