10-08-2025
Seven Indian fishers arrested by Sri Lankan navy for IMBL violation, boat seized
RAMANATHAPURAM: A patrol unit of the Sri Lankan navy seized a boat and arrested seven fishermen – all hailing from Thangachimadam in Rameswaram –- for allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on Saturday afternoon. Following the arrest, over 100 fishermen, including the family members of the arrested, staged a road blockade protest on Rameswaram-Madurai national highway near Thangachimadam.
The seven fishermen -- A Dullas (56), D Slydon (26), J Arul Robert (53), S Loyolan (45), K Arokiya Sonrin (20), A Baskar (45) and R Jesu Raja (32) -- have been taken to Mannar port in Sri Lanka for further legal proceedings. Sources said the fishermen, along with over 300 other vessels, had ventured into the sea from Thangachimadam port earlier on Saturday. While fishing near the IMBL, the boat allegedly entered the Sri Lankan waters near Katchatheevu. A patrol unit of the Lankan navy caught the boat – owned by Irudhaya Douglas – and arrested the seven on board the vessel. The details of the fishermen have been sent to the Tamil Nadu fisheries department, added arrest sparked the fishermen community to stage a protest, which went on till Saturday evening near Thangachimadam. The tourist footfall was high as it was a weekend, and the protest resulted in a tailback for a five-kilometre stretch in the highway. The protesters demanded the release of all the fishermen who have been arrested so far by the island nation. After officials assured them of action, the protesting fishermen disbursed late in the evening.
Sagayam, leader of a fishermen association, condemned the continued arrests of Indian fishermen by the SL navy and urged the union government to take action to address the persisting issues. Notably, since the annual fishing ban was lifted on June 15, as many as 61 fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly violating the IMBL, and all of them belong to Ramanathapuram district.
