13 TN fishermen arrested by Lankan navy

The fishermen, hailing from Akkaraipettai in Nagapattinam district, had put to sea in two mechanised boats when they were arrested last night and taken to Trincomalee police station, official sources said on Thursday.

Earlier, the Lankan navalmen had allegedly hurled a bomb but it missed the target and the fishermen escaped, fisheries department officials said. Meanwhile, some 442 fishermen, who had gone near Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India to Sri Lanka under an agreement in 1974, for fishing turned back after they were allegedly stopped by Lankan naval men.

Thirteen fishermen were arrested by Lankan naval personnel in November last year. While five fishermen were arrested by the Lankan Navy on November 28 and later imprisoned on drug smuggling charges, another four were held on January 3 and an equal number two days later.