Courtesy NDTV

As per the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, the fishermen were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay sea area.

Last month, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 18 Indian fishermen. (Representational)

Ramanathapuram: 

A total of 23 Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy from Rameswaram, officials said on Sunday.

As per the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, the fishermen were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area.

“Sri Lankan Navy arrived there and arrested 23 fishermen from Rameswaram and took them to Myalati Naval Camp, Jaffna for investigation,” they said.

Last month, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 18 Indian fishermen and seized two Indian poaching trawlers in Lankan waters.

The arrested Indian fishermen and the trawlers were brought to the Thalpadu Pier in Mannar and were handed over to the Talaimannar Fisheries Inspector for onward legal action.

The arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy in the recent past have been a matter of concern not just for the Centre but also for the Tamil Nadu government.

The issue was also discussed during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the latter’s visit to India in July last year.