Colombo, Aug 28 (PTI) A group of 15 Indian fishermen has traveled to Sri Lanka to reclaim fishing boats previously seized by Sri Lankan authorities on allegations of poaching. Officials reported the team's arrival on Thursday.
Led by S Jesurasa, the group hails from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and arrived in Jaffna's northern district on Wednesday. They inspected seven boats at the Myliddi fishing harbor, which had been released by Sri Lankan authorities in 2022.
The fishermen plan to stay in Jaffna for three days to collaborate with local repair workers to restore the boats' engines before returning them to India. After improvements, they are expected to return to collect the vessels.
For years, Indian fishermen crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line into Sri Lankan waters have been released by courts following detainment by the Sri Lankan Navy, though their boats were often confiscated.
Recently, a new arrangement permits courts to release these seized boats as well, officials remarked.
Fishermen from India and Sri Lanka frequently face arrests for mistakenly trespassing into each other's territories.
The issue of fishermen is a challenging one in India-Sri Lanka relations, with incidents reported of the Sri Lankan Navy firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats for reportedly entering Sri Lanka's territorial waters unlawfully.
The Palk Strait, a narrow water body between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing zone for fishermen from both nations.
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