As many as 12 fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu have been arrested by the Maldives Coast Guard and steps should be taken for their release and their boat, Chief Minister M K Stalin urged the Centre on Saturday.
Writing to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Stalin said, fishermen, who had set out on October 1 for fishing from Thoothukudi district in a mechanised fishing boat were arrested by the Maldives Coast Guard on October 23, near Thinadhoo island.
"I request you to take up the matter with the Maldives authorities through appropriate diplomatic channels to secure the release of the detained fishermen and their fishing boat at the earliest," he said.
