Colombo, Oct 19 — Seventeen Indian fishermen, arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching in the island nation’s waters, have been repatriated, the Indian High Commission in Colombo confirmed. The fishermen, who often get arrested due to inadvertent trespassing, are now on their way back to Tamil Nadu, India.
“Homecoming! 17 Indian fishermen have been successfully repatriated and are on their way to Tamil Nadu, India,” the Indian High Commission announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
The issue of fishermen straying into each other’s waters has long been a point of contention between India and Sri Lanka. Several incidents have been reported where the Sri Lankan Navy fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seized their boats, accusing them of illegal entry into Sri Lankan territorial waters. Similarly, Sri Lanka has claimed Indian authorities have responded in kind to its fishermen.
The Palk Strait, a narrow waterway between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing area often leading to frequent arrests as fishermen from both nations accidentally cross the maritime boundary.
So far in 2023, the Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 413 Indian fishermen and seized 55 of their trawlers, according to an official statement from the Sri Lankan authorities.
