International   

Colombo arrests 75 Indian fishermen for encroaching

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO. MARCH 4. Seventy-five Indian fishermen, 17 of whom were hospitalised following clashes with Sri Lankan fishermen, have been arrested by the island's police authorities for crossing the international border line and encroaching on its territorial waters, close to the Mannar coast.

According to sources, the fishermen and their 23 trawlers were taken into custody after they were found close to the northern Mannar coast. In addition to the 17 Indian fishermen, four Sri Lankans have been hospitalised. The sources said the Indian fishermen, all from Tamil Nadu, were apprehended by their Sri Lankan counterparts, and then handed over to the police. The 17 hospitalised fishermen had suffered cut injuries.

Fishing is a main activity in the island-nation, particularly its northern region. The Palk Strait catch is said to be a major attraction for the Indian trawler-owners. However, it has been the lot of the fishermen to be arrested for encroachment and face judicial proceedings in the island.

Northern fishermen in Sri Lanka, already constrained by restrictions on fishing due to the conflict situation, have often complained of the loss of their catch to their Indian counterparts.

Encroachment by the Indian fishermen has been quite frequent and had taken a tragic turn in the past when the Sri Lanka Navy opened fire on those crossing over.

However, over the past few years, the shooting incidents have virtually stopped, but northern fishermen complain that the encroachment by their Indian counterparts has not ended. Earlier this year, 46 Indian fishermen were nabbed in two separate incidents.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Bush despot of the century: Saddam
• U.K. in `war' mode
• Russia steps up efforts to avert war
• Tigers, UNICEF agree on checking child recruitment
• Pressure to withdraw charity status of RSS, HSS in U.K.
• Sept. 11 attack mastermind flown out of Pak.
• Israel rejects Palestinian draft statute
• Al-Qaeda leader to be treated `humanely'
• China non-committal on seat for India
• Pak. concerned over Arrow missile sale
• Colombo arrests 75 Indian fishermen for encroaching
• Pak. to go ahead with SAF Games

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu