Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday urged the India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar to take immediate diplomatic steps to secure the release of six fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and to retrieve their seized fishing boat.
In a letter addressed to Minister Jaishankar, Chief Minister Vijay expressed concern over the continuing arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities and highlighted the growing distress among coastal communities in the state.
Drawing Minister Jaishankar’s attention to the latest incident, the Chief Minister said six fishermen from Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Vijay highlighted that 54 Indian fishermen are currently in Sri Lankan prisons, while 264 fishing boats have been impounded by Sri Lankan authorities.
Vijay urged the External Affairs Minister to use all available diplomatic channels to secure the early release of the detained fishermen and their boats, stressing the need for their safe repatriation.
-- Agencies
