Sri Lankan Navy arrests 14 Indian fishermen

In the second such incident within a fortnight, 14 Indian fishermen were today arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and taken to the island nation for allegedly fishing in their waters.

Eighteen fishermen had set out to sea in two boats and 14 of them had been arrested and taken to Mannar district in Sri Lanka, assistant director of fisheries department Markandeyan, said quoting Coast Guard officials. One boat was detained.

Four other fishermen were released along with one boat, he said.

Following the arrest, Coast Guard officials said the released fishermen had told them that they had been fishing in Indian waters near the third sand dune off Arichalmunai when the Lankan Navy arrested them around 12.30pm.

Twenty-three Indian fishermen, along with five trawlers, were arrested on June 21 off the north east coast of Mannar by the Lankan Navy which alleged that they were fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

They were remanded to judicial custody but released on June 29 following an order from Mannar district court.

Following the arrest, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa had sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention to secure their release.