Govt must step in to release T’kudi fishers, demand relatives

MADURAI: Condemning the recent arrest of 22 Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing IMBL, aggrieved family members sought the intervention of the government to secure their release.

P Antony Churchill, president of Tharuvaikulam Fishermen Association, on Wednesday, said representatives of the association have submitted a petition to the Thoothukudi Collector saying that the fishermen have been carrying out their work in an eco-friendly method using gillnets in their traditional grounds off Tharuvaikulam coast.

Of the 22 fishermen from Tharuvaikulam, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on Monday, 12 ventured into the waters off Thoothukudi on July 21 on a mechanized boat, the other 10 fishermen sailed into the sea on July 23.

Tharuvaikulam has a fleet of 300 mechanized boats, which often engage in deep-sea fishing, mainly for big species like tuna. “Generally, such fishing groups stay in the sea for 15 to 30 days,” he said.

M Paulraj from Tharuvaikulam said though the fishermen never cross the IMBL, the weather was windy on the fateful day and the boats were drifted away by high winds into the Sri Lankan waters. Following this, all the 22 were arrested by the island nation navy.

“Twelve years ago, fishermen on board three boats off Tharuvaikulam were detained by the SL Navy and later released. Another boat was detained three years ago. In both those incidents also strong winds pushed the boats up to 20 nautical miles into Lankan territorial waters,” recalled Paulraj.

Since the trespass was unintentional and due to squally weather, the government should intervene and secure the the release of all the 22 at the earliest, the relatives said.