Sri Lanka arrests 6 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in its waters

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested six Indian fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching within the island nation’s waters, an official assertion mentioned on Tuesday, within the fourth such incident this month.

The fishermen have been arrested and their two trawlers have been seized on Monday north of the Delft Island, Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Navy mentioned in a press launch.

The six arrested fishermen have been escorted to the Kankasanthurai Harbour and can be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for additional motion, it mentioned.

Final week, as many as 18 Indian fishermen have been arrested and their two trawlers seized for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

The fishermen difficulty is a contentious one within the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen within the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in a number of alleged incidents of illegally coming into Sri Lankan territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, a slender strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a wealthy fishing floor for fishermen from each nations.

There have been periodic situations of Indian fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the Worldwide Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

In 2023, the island nation’s Navy arrested 240 Indian fishermen together with 35 trawlers for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters.