Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday requested Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to secure the release of fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan navy and also their fishing boats at the earliest.
Taking up the issue with the Union Minister, he said the Sri Lankan navy arrested 8 fishermen belonging to Pudukottai district today and also seized their mechanised fishing vessels.
"Apart from the above mechanised boats, 95 fishing boats and 11 fishermen are still in the custody of the Sri Lankan government," he said in a letter addressed to Jaishankar, which was made available to the media here.
Expressing his gratitude for the concerted efforts of the External Affairs Ministry in securing the release of 12 Tamil Nadu fishermen, he said, "I request you to take earnest efforts through diplomatic channels for the release of the arrested fishermen and their fishing boats at the earliest."
(With PTI Inputs)
