Protest in Rameshwaram over fishermens’ arrest by Sri Lanka, Stalin writes to EAM
Hindustan TimesHundreds of fishermen staged a roadblock on the Pamban road bridge in Rameshwaram on Tuesday to demand the immediate release of 23 fishermen who have been arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy, even as Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin sought the Centre’s intervention to end regular arrests of Tamil fishermen. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin On November 9, the Lankan Navy arrested 23 fishermen and seized two mechanised boats and an unregistered boat. “Notably, the Sri Lankan Navy’s apprehension of Tamil Nadu fishermen in 2024 is the highest in the last seven years,” Stalin said. In 2016, India and Sri Lanka proposed the establishment of a joint working group to discuss issues such as cooperation between the Navy and Coast Guard of both countries in patrolling, existing hotline between the Coast Guards and related operational matters, including cooperation in tracking poaching, prevention of environmental damage due to bottom trawling, addressing grievances of fishermen on either side, investigation on deaths of fishermen and status of apprehended fishermen and fishing boats.