Six Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka Navy

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested six Indian fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country's territorial waters, an official statement said on Sunday on the second such incident in a month.

The fishermen were arrested on Saturday off Talaimannar, a settlement located on the northwestern coast of Mannar Island, the Navy said in the statement.

The fishermen, who remain in naval custody in Talaimannar, will be handed over to the fisheries inspector in Mannar, it said.

The latest arrest came after 10 Indian fishermen were arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lanka's waters on August 22.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with the Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan's territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, which is a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.

There have been periodic instances of Indian fishermen being apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.