Sri Lankan Navy detains 10 Tamil Nadu fishermen near the International Maritime Boundary Line

The Hindu
The Hindu
4h ago
Sri Lankan Navy personnel detained 10 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their mechanised trawler on January 12, 2026 night on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Sri Lankan Navy detains 10 Tamil Nadu fishermen near the International Maritime Boundary Line
A What happened
Ten fishermen from Tamil Nadu set out from the Rameswaram fishing jetty in a mechanised trawler owned by M. Thennarasu and were intercepted at sea for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. The Sri Lankan Navy interrogated them and detained the fishermen along with their boat. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin requested External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to engage with the Sri Lankan government to prevent more arrests and secure the immediate release of detained fishermen and boats. M.K. Stalin said 252 fishing boats and 83 fishermen, including those in the latest incident, remained in Sri Lankan custody.

Key insights

  • 1

    Tamil Nadu government urged immediate diplomatic engagement: M.K. Stalin requested S. Jaishankar to engage with the Sri Lankan government immediately to prevent further arrests and secure the immediate release of detained fishermen and boats.

  • 2

    Recurring detentions and seizures were described as continuing: M.K. Stalin said recurring arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizure of their fishing boats by Sri Lankan authorities continued unabated.

  • 3

    Detentions were linked to family distress and uncertainty: M.K. Stalin cited distress and uncertainty faced by families of detained fishermen and urged expeditious action so detainees could reunite with families during Pongal.

Takeaways

Ten Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boat remained detained by the Sri Lankan Navy, and Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister sought Union government action to secure their release and prevent further arrests.

Topics

World & Politics International Affairs Diplomacy Migration

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