On Sunday, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 22 fishermen from Tamil Nadu for fishing near Neduntheevu in Sri Lankan waters, as reported by the Rameswaram Fisherman Association. The fishermen, who set out to sea from Tamil Nadu on Saturday, were operating near Neduntheevu in the Palk Bay Sea area when the Sri Lankan Navy seized three boats belonging to fishermen from Thangachimadam.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had previously written a letter on June 19 to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, urging for the immediate release of all the apprehended fishermen and their boats. The Chief Minister highlighted an incident where four fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing from the Kottaipattinam fishing harbour in Pudukottai District.
Stalin emphasized that such incidents not only disrupt the livelihoods of fishermen but also create a sense of fear and uncertainty among the entire fishing community. In a separate incident in April, 19 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, including individuals from Mayiladuthurai, Pudukottai, and Karaikal in Puducherry state, were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on March 6 for crossing the maritime border. They were subsequently sent back to Chennai via an Air India passenger flight from Colombo. The families of these fishermen had urged both the central and state governments to take action for their release.