Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 10 Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the country's territorial waters, a Navy official said today.
A fast attack craft attached to the Northern Naval Command, on routine patrol, arrested the Indian fishermen and also seized their fishing trawler when they entered the Sri Lankan territorial waters north of Point Pedro Lighthouse last night, a Navy spokesperson said.
The fishermen, their trawler and fishing gear were brought to the naval base SLNS Uttara in Kankesanthurai, he said, adding that they were handed over to the Assistant Fisheries Director of Jaffna for further action.
Meanwhile in Rameswaram, a Fisheries Department official said that the fishermen hailed from Akkarapettai in Tamil Nadu's Nagaptattinam district.
They were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy when they were fishing near Neduntheevu in the island nation waters, Assistant Director of Fisheries Department, Gangadharan said.
On November 14, over 1,600 Tamil Nadu fishermen were forced to return without their catch after Lankan Navy personnel allegedly snapped the fishing nets of 25 boats near Katchatheevu.
Earlier on November 7, four fishermen from Pudukottai district were arrested by the Lankan naval personnel for allegedly fishing off Neduntheevu.
The arrest of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy has become a flash point in India-Sri Lanka relations.