Twenty four Indian fishermen were arrested by Sri Lankan naval personnel when they were fishing near Katchateevu on Wednesday, officials said.
The fishermen were arrested on the charge of intruding into Sri Lankan territory, fisheries department officials and Innocent Fishermen's Association Arulanandham said.
As many as 785 fishing boats put out to sea, and of them, six boats had been detained and comandeered to Talaimannar Coast of Sri Lanka by the Lankan naval men, officials said.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has been pressing for retrieval of Katchatheevu island, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974, to prevent arrests and attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen.