Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday sought External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s intervention in the release of 38 Indian fishermen arrested by Indonesia and Seychelles for allegedly entering into their waters.
In a letter to Jaishankar, Stalin said it has been reported that five fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu, along with three fishermen from Kerala, were apprehended by the Indonesian Air and Sea Police for allegedly entering into the Indonesian waters and were taken for legal proceedings.
The fishermen had ventured fishing on February 17 in an Andaman registered fishing vessel, IND-AN-SA- MM-2110, Stalin said. He also said 33 fishermen from the state were apprehended by Seychelles.
“It is also learnt through Fishermen Associations that 33 fishermen and three mechanised fishing boats bearing registration numbers IND-TN-15- MM-5501, IND-TN-15-MM-7998 and IND-TN-15-MM-5468 had ventured out from Cochin Harbour on February 22. On March 7, they were apprehended by the Seychelles Authority for allegedly entering into Seychelles waters,” the CM said.
He demanded Jaishankar’s personal intervention in taking up the matter with Indonesian and Seychelles authorities to secure the immediate release of the fishermen and their fishing boats.
The incident comes as Tamil Nadu fishermen continue to be apprehended by authorities in Sri Lanka for entering its waters.
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Published 10 March 2022, 12:46 IST