The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested nine Indian fishermen and confiscated two trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country’s territorial waters. The arrests occurred near Delft Island, Jaffna, and the fishermen were from Tamil Nadu.
The apprehension took place on Monday during a special operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy and coast guard to deter Indian poaching trawlers from entering Sri Lankan waters.
After the operation, the seized trawlers and the Indian fishermen were taken to Kankesanthurai Harbour. They will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further legal proceedings, as stated in the Sri Lankan Navy’s official statement.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between India and Sri Lanka over fishing rights in their shared maritime boundary. Such incidents have been a recurring issue, and both countries have been working on finding a solution to address the concerns of fishermen from both sides.