14 Sri Lankan fishermen arrested by Indian Navy

The Indian Navy has arrested 14 Sri Lankan fishermen along with five boats for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and for fishing sea cucumber on Thursday, May 16.

Sources from the Indian Navy said ICGS Rani Durgavati apprehended five Sri Lankan fishing boats with 14 Sri Lankan crew at 13 nautical miles Southeast of Point Calimere Light, 7 nautical miles inside Indian waters.

The Sri Lankan boats violated the Maritime Zones of India Act 1981.

Approximately 200 kg of endangered fish were seized on board to protect the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and curb illegal activities at sea.

Sources said all the arrested fishermen belong to Paruthithurai in Sri Lanka.

They were brought to the Nagapattinam fishing harbor and handed over to the Vedaranyam Marine police late Thursday.

In the case filed by the Vedaranyam marine police, they have named the fishermen as,

M.Abdul Rasak,40, S.Sugitharan,40, N.Sri Krishna,43, M.Firoze,44, A.Navshad,43, S.M.Irfan,42, C.Jakkur,49, S.Alaptheen,46, S.M.Uvaiz,59, A.Thinusan,42, A.Rangan,42, A.Sumith Sanjeev,37, D.Ranjith,38, S.Jameenthakumar,44.