Even as the fishermen associations have been demanding the release of 18 fishermen arrested since December, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel, in a fresh poaching case, arrested four fishermen from Rameswaram and impounded their mechanised boat in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to information reaching here, the sources said the fishermen had ventured into the sea from Rameswaram after obtaining token from the Department of Fisheries on Monday. They were identified as Harikrishnan, Murugan, Vignesh and Chinna Muniyan. The name of the boat owner was given as Vinoth.
As the four fishermen were engaged in fishing near Neduntheevu, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel reportedly arrested and took them to a special camp.
After registering cases, they would be produced before a court, the sources here claimed.
Fishermen association leader Jesu Raja said that only two days ago, the fishermen in the coastal hamlets staged a demonstration demanding the Centre to intervene and help release 16 fishermen arrested from Rameswaram and Mandapam three days ago. “Such an act within a span of four days was highly unfortunate. Fishermen are in a state of shock. The government’s silence has only irked all of us,” he added.
