22 Tamil Nadu fishermen held by Lankan Navy

Twenty-two Tamil fishermen and their five boats were taken into custody by Sri Lankan naval personnel when they were fishing near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off Arichalmunai in this island early today, police said.

The Lankan naval men alleged that the fishermen had crossed the IMBL while fishing, official sources said.

Though two more boats were missing, it was not immediately known whether these had also had been commandeered by the Sri Lanakan naval men, official sources said here.

Police said according to information they received, the fishermen were produced before a court in Talimannar in Sri Lanka.

Before taking the fishermen into custody, the naval men allegedly attacked them by pelting stones and bottles and damaged their boats, they said.