23 Indian fishermen arrested by navy

Naval personnel today arrested 23 Indian fishermen and seized five boats which had strayed into Sri Lankan waters off Mannar.

 

The arrested fishermen have been handed over to Thalaimannar Police, which proceed to produced them before the Mannar Magistrate’s Court as legal procedure, police spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said.

However, Indian media quoting the President of the Rameswaram fishermen’s association alleged that the Sri Lankan navalmen had ‘attacked 20 other fishing boats and seized the fishing nets’. 

Sri Lanka Navy rejects the accusations.