34 Indian fishermen arrested in Lankan waters

Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard on routine patrol arrested 34 Indian fishermen and seven Indian trawlers engaged in illegal fishing in the northern seas of Sri Lanka last night, the Navy said.

Navy spokesman Commander Indika De Silva said the fishermen and the trawlers were arrested in three separate incidents in Talaimannar, Delft and Kankasanthurai last night.

He said the arrested fishermen along with the trawlers would be brought to Kankasanthurai and Talaimannar and handed over to the officials of the Department of Fisheries for legal action.

The Indian media reported the fishermen are from Ramanathapuram and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu.

According to the reports a delegation of AIADMK lawmakers met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday and demanded the Centre's immediate intervention over the frequent arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen.(DS)