Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Monday seeking the latter’s intervention in the release of 12 fishermen who were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy.
In a letter to Jaishankar, Stalin said that 12 Indian fishermen—seven from Tamil Nadu and the remaining five from Puducherry—were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy, along with a fishing boat bearing registration number IND-PY-PK-MM-895.
“The fishermen of Tamil Nadu have recently resumed fishing after the annual ban period of 61 days that ended on June 15. This arrest intimidates the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu and is also likely to create a sense of insecurity and fear in the coastal areas of the state,” he wrote.
“I, therefore, request you to take up this matter through appropriate diplomatic channels to secure the immediate release of 12 fishermen and their fishing boat,” Stalin requested.
Fishermen from Tamil Nadu, especially those from Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, and Pudukkottai districts, are usually arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for crossing into the island country’s waters.
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