Ten Tamil Nadu fishermen were today arrested by Sri Lankan Navy while fishing off Neduntheevu near the island nation, prompting caretaker Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and AIADMK chief V K Sasikala to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in securing their release.
Besides arresting the fishermen, the Lankan navy also allegedly seized their boat, damaged fishing nets and other equipment, Assistant Director of Fisheries Kolinjinathan said.
The fishermen, who hail from Thangachimadam near Rameswaram, were taken to Kangesanthurai in Sri Lanka and produced before a court which remanded them to judicial custody till February 21.
Withn hours of the arrest, Panneerselvam and Sasikala wrote separate letters to Modi seeking his intervention in securing their release.
Panneerselvam said the boat with seven fishermen had developed a technical snag and three others had boarded it to help rectify the problem. As the boat was drifting, they were all apprehended.
"This is an instance where our fishermen on a boat in distress have been apprehended. This is an unacceptable and inhumane act," he said adding under the international laws of the sea, such vessels in distress have to be dealt with a humanitarian approach.
Noting that already 119 fishing boats belonging to Tamil Nadu fishermen were in Sri Lankan custody and these were getting damaged, he urged Modi to secure the immediate release of all 35 fishermen and 120 boats, including those detained today.
He requested the Centre to act "decisively," and put in place appropriate mechanisms to end the sufferings of fishermen.
He said those held today from the "boat in distress must be released without filing of any cases and going through a long-winded legal process, on humanitarian grounds."
Making a similar request, Sasikala, who is set to succeed Panneerselvam, said the immediate release of fishermen and their boats would end their sufferings and mitigate the agony of the concerned families.
She said, "I also request you to ensure that our fishermen are allowed to fish peacefully in their traditional fishing waters in the Palk Bay.
"Centre should convey to Sri Lanka, either through
consular channels or by summoning its envoy to India, that killing of Indian fishermen cannot be tolerated and that it would face the consequences if such incidents recur," Stalin said.
Stalin said Lankan Navy's gunning down of the fisherman Bridgo was in contravention to assurances made in a meeting of fishermen of India and Sri Lanka last year that no force will be used on the Indians and criticised the "inhumane" incident.
"One gets a feeling if there is any meaning in calling Sri Lanka a friendly nation even after this incident," he said in a statement.
The killing has given rise to apprehension among fishermen of returning alive after venturing into the sea, he added.
The DMK leader also demanded that the next of kin of the victim be paid a relief of Rs 25 lakh.
MDMK founder Vaiko alleged that the Lankan navy has killed 583 fishermen from Tamil Nadu even as they were frequently arresting fishermen and detaining their boats.
He urged the Centre to to file a case against the alleged Lankan perpetrators and press Sri Lanka to hand them over to India. "Else New Delhi should snap diplomatic ties with Colombo," he added.
India should also seek a compensation of Rs one crore for the victim's family from Sri Lanka, he said.
CPI, VCK, PMK and many other political parties and outfits have expressed concern over the killing.
The protesting fishermen in Rameswaram alleged that there was no proper coordination between Lankan and Indian officials on the issue of fishermen fishing in the Palk Strait.
They demanded release of all Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy and boats seized by them.
Policemen have been deployed in the island to monitor the situation.
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Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Nagercoil, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan expressed regret over the firing incident.
He said, "The Sri Lankan Navy should not have resorted to firing when talks are underway to resolve the issue of fishing in the Palk Strait."
He further said the issue of fishing in the Palk Strait is a dispute between the fishermen of the two countries.
The gunning down of the Indian fisherman named Bridgo was an unfortunate incident and the Sri Lankan government should express regret over it and ensure that such incidents do not recur, Radhakrishnan said.
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Meanwhile, State Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar visited the family of Bridgo in Rameswaram and consoled them.
Later, addressing the protesting fishermen at Thangachimadam, he condemned the firing incident and said steps would be taken to find a permanent solution to the contentious issue of fishing rights.
Since 1974, as many as 287 fishermen have been killed by the Lankan navy, he said.
Katchatheevu islet must be retrieved from the island nation to put an end to such incidents, he added.
Earlier, Jayakumar visited the Rameswaram government hospital, where the body of Bridgo is kept.
Rameswaram Fishermen's Association President S Emiret announced an indefinite fishing boycott.
Meanwhile, the National Fisher Folk Forum (NFF) today announced holding a joint meeting with the fishermen delegation from six districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry at Nagapattinam on March 9.
The meeting will discuss the situation arising out of the killing of a fisherman allegedly by Sri Lankan Naval personnel yesterday.
An action plan would also be evolved at the meeting.
