Seeking the Centre’s support in finding a permanent solution to the continued arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel along the Palk Bay area, a fishermen delegation from Ramanathapuram met Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Monday.
Speaking to The Hindu, fishermen leader P Jesu Raja, who was part of the delegation, said that they apprised the External Affairs Minister of the present situation in the presence of Union Minister L. Murugan.
The fishermen said that they were being detained on ‘false’ charges of poaching by the Navy personnel and jailed. In the recent times, the Sri Lankan government had awarded jail terms of six months for boatman and one/two year imprisonment for fishermen for repeating offence.
