The Sri Lankan Navy reportedly arrested 12 fishermen from Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning.

The fishermen were fishing near Katchatheevu when they were detained.

Of the 12 arrested fishermen, eight are from Rameswaram and the rest from Jegadappatinam in the district, Assistant Director of Fisheries Gopinath said, according to PTI.

The Lankan Navy seized the fishermen's three boats and took them to Talaimannar, where they will be produced at a magistrate court.

Fishermen in as many as 550 boats had gone to the ocean to fish early on Tuesday. Three boats were seized and one was alleged damaged by the Lankan naval personnel, but the rest managed to return to the Tamil Nadu shore.

The fresh detention comes just hours after eight fishermen from Akkarapettai in Nagapattinam district were arrested on Monday night. 

The Indian fishermen were arrested following a clash with Lankan fishermen while fishing near Mullatheevu. The Lankan naval personnel have also seized their fishing boats.

The eight fishermen who were arrested on Monday night have been identified as 50-year-old K Anandan, 29-year-old G Ranganathan, 40-year-old K Lakshmanan, 27-year-old N Kannan, 28-year-old S Vinodh, 28-year-old T Chithravel, 35-year-old P Balamurugan, and 25-year-old K Saminathan, The Hindu reported.

In a separate incident on Monday night, the Lankan Navy arrested 15 fishermen for fishing near international maritime boundary line, according to All India Radio news.

The Tamil Nadu fishermen Nagai, Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai  have urged the government to realease the fishermen locked up in Lankan jails before Pongal festival on 15 January.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalaithaa had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue with the Lankan government.

Also Read