CM Stalin Urges Centre To Ensure Release Of Tamil Nadu Fishermen In Sri Lankan Custody

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday called upon the Centre to take appropriate diplomatic steps to secure the early release of all the detained fishermen and their boats from the Sri Lankan authorities.

In a letter to Union Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Chief Minister expressed "a deep sense of anguish" over the continuing and unabated apprehension of Indian fishermen by the Island nation.

Earlier in the morning, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested five fishermen from Ramanathapuram, along with their mechanised fishing boat bearing Registration Number IND-TN-10-MM-960, for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) while fishing.

In a separate instance, a motorised country craft bearing Registration Number TN-10-MO-1595, carrying nine fishermen, was also taken into custody.

This comes a week after four fishermen and their mechanised fishing boat were apprehended. This marks the fourth such incident this month alone.

"The repeated apprehensions have caused significant economic and emotional distress and uncertainty for the affected families. Currently, 235 fishing boats and 68 fishermen are in Sri Lankan custody," Stalin said in the letter to the Union External Affairs Minister.

The Chief Minister urged Jaishankar to take appropriate diplomatic measures to release all the fishermen and their fishing boats at the earliest.

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