Nine fishermen from Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu, India, were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for trespassing into international waters by crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The incident occurred when the fishermen were at sea for fishing in two mechanized boats from Kottaipattinam and Jagadipattanam in Pudukkottai district.
Four fishermen from Kottaipattinam and five from Jegathapattinam were taken into custody on September 13. They were fishing at ‘Neendantheevu’ when apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy and were subsequently questioned at the Kankesanthurai Naval base in Sri Lanka.
This arrest is part of an ongoing issue, where Indian fishermen are often arrested by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters, leading to tensions between the two countries.