Sri Lanka arrests 14 Pudukkottai fishermen on charges of crossing IMBL

TIRUCHY: Sri Lankan Navy apprehended as many as 14 fishermen from Pudukkottai and seized three mechanised boats on charges of crossing the IMBL on Saturday.

Sources said more than 500 fishermen from Jegathapattinam in Pudukkottai ventured into sea in around 100 mechanised boats on Friday night.

Among them, the boats owned by Pradeep (27), Senthil Kumar (50) and Manikandan (45) all from Jegathapattinam were fishing at 18 nautical miles off Jegathapattinam, a fast attack craft belonging to the Sri Lankan Navy approached them and arrested all the 14 fishermen claiming that they were illegally fishing in the Lankan water by crossing the IMBL.

The navy also seized all the three mechanised boats.

Subsequently, they were taken to port of Kankesanthurai and they will be handed over to the Assistant Directorate of Fisheries-kankesanthurai through the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, for onward legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the arrest of the fishers had spread like a wildfire and the fishermen association functionaries approached the fisheries officials for further details.

They also appealed to the centre and state governments to initiate a permanent solution.