Sri Lanka arrests 112 Indian fishermen

POINT PEDRO, SRI LANKA: At least 112 Indian fishermen from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were arrested on Tuesday evening by the Sri Lankan police, The Hindu reported.

Lankan fishermen operating off the Jaffna coast surrounded the Indian fishermen and prevented them from returning home after they were allegedly fishing in Sri Lankan waters. The Indian fishermen were handed over to the police in Point Pedro, while the 18 trawlers they were traveling on were seized.

On Wednesday, the 112 fishermen were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. Indian officials expected an early release on Wednesday, but due to non-completion of formalities in time, made it impossible. Wednesday and Thursday are both national holidays in Sri Lanka, which may hamper the early release.

Over 2,000 members from the DMK, Tamil Nadu's main ruling party, were arrested on Wednesday after they tried to take out a rally to the Sri Lankan deputy high commission in the Indian city of Madras (Chennai), the Times of India reported.

In January, two Indian fishermen were allegedly killed by the Sri Lankan Navy, but Lankan authorities including President Mahinda Rajapaksa denied any involvement. New Delhi sent its foreign secretary to take up the issue and Rajapaksa vowed a full enquiry into the incidents.

(BNO NEWS )