Sri Lankan Navy arrests 14 Indian fishermen on Sunday

The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday arrested 14 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters. Naval spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said they were arrested off the coast of Jaffna's Delft islet this morning at around 10 am local time.

They are currently in the fisheries inspection office at Karainagar in Jaffna, the Navy said. The fishermen belonged to Rameswaram and Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district. Indian fisheries officials said three boats of the fishermen had also been seized by the Sri Lankan navy personnel.

The arrest comes days after five Indian fishermen on death row in Sri Lanka were released by the Sri Lankan government. They had been arrested in Sri Lankan waters in November 2011, on charges of drug trafficking.