In a letter to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has called for urgent diplomatic action to halt the ongoing arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities and to secure the release of seized fishing vessels.
Stalin expressed grave concern over the increasing frequency of these arrests, noting that they disrupt the livelihoods of fishermen and inflict severe hardship on their families.
“On November 9, the Sri Lankan Navy detained 23 fishermen from Rameswaram who were aboard two mechanized fishing boats and an unregistered vessel. Just days later, on November 12, another boat from Nagapattinam, along with 12 fishermen, was also apprehended,” Stalin wrote.
The Chief Minister underscored that the number of Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy in 2024 is the highest in seven years. “I urge you to initiate immediate diplomatic efforts to prevent further arrests of our fishermen and to ensure the swift release of all those detained, along with their vessels,” he stated in his appeal to Jaishankar.
