65 Sri Lankan fishermen detained in TN

Four Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested in Tamil Nadu for fishing in Indian waters on Wednesday, taking the total number of such fishermen apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard during the last week to 65.

The fishermen and their boats were taken to Mandapam Coast Guard station near Rameswaram for enquiry.

Though the Sri Lankan authorities have raised the matter with Tamil Nadu, there has been no response so far, media reports quoted an official spokesman as saying in Colombo.

This is one of the rare occasions when so many Lankan fishermen have been arrested for fishing in Indian waters. There have been incidents of Sri Lankan fishermen moving towards the waters around Andaman in search of tuna fish, which is in great demand in the island nation and Maldives.

The detention of Indian fishermen for straying into Sri Lankan waters is also a common occurrence. Sri Lankan Navy officials have expressed apprehensions about Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadres moving into the high security zone of the island country's seawaters in look-alikes of Indian fishing trawlers under the garb of being fishermen.

Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft regularly carry out surveillance and patrol the Indian Maritime Zone and along the International Maritime Boundary Line.

They also guide the Indian fishermen boats found crossing the IMBL.

There have been a number of occasions wherein the Coast Guard has proactively rescued Indian fishermen, top officials said recently in New Delhi. Over 56 Indian fishermen and 15 boats were apprehended by Sri Lanka and Pakistan for straying into their waters during 2007.

Recently, 12 Sri Lankan fishermen were detained in the Palk Straits for entering Indian waters though they were released later.