Sri Lankan Navy arrests nine Rameswaram fishermen near Katchatheevu; families seek intervention

In the latest incident of its kind, nine fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching in international waters. The arrest took place late Wednesday night near the Katchatheevu islet, according to officials from the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department.

The fishermen were intercepted at around 10 p.m. while on board a mechanised trawler owned by Wellington of Rajan Nagar, Thangachimadam. The Sri Lankan Navy's surveillance team took the crew into custody after a preliminary inquiry. The arrested men have been identified as Janathan (45), Antony Pitchai (38), Prabhu (43), Don Bosco (55), Arockia Devin (31), Veluchamy (51), Subbiah (52), Arockia Jeniston (25), and Stevin (30). They belong to Rameswaram, Pamban, Virudhunagar, and Thangachimadam.

A senior official of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department said the nine fishermen were taken to the Talaimannar Naval Port. They are likely to be produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

On Wednesday morning, the department had issued 297 tokens to mechanised trawlers operating from the Rameswaram jetty. The latest arrest has come as a shock to the fishing community in the coastal district, which has witnessed repeated detentions by Sri Lankan authorities in recent weeks.

Jesu Raja, a fishermen leader, told The Hindu that the community feels abandoned by both the Union and state governments. “The latest arrest shows that the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government are only mute spectators and do not seem to be interested in finding a lasting solution. When we have been appealing repeatedly to help and intervene as it involves our livelihood, such a nonchalant attitude has caused hardship and mental agony among our families,” he said.

Mr. Raja pointed out that only five days earlier, fishermen had stayed away from fishing for a day in protest after nine fishermen were arrested when their trawler reportedly faced a technical snag near Neduntheevu islet. He also noted that as the country prepared to celebrate its 79th Independence Day on August 15, 2026, fishermen from Rameswaram were still being detained by the Sri Lankan Navy.

“When we have been fishing in the 12 to 15 nautical miles along the Palk Straits over the last 50 years, such step-motherly treatment to us is paining,” he said. “The younger generation in our community are already caught in a dilemma and are hesitating to take up the profession due to the insecurity and humiliation faced by us in the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy. Where do we go? All these years, we have been waging a lone battle. How do we survive for our livelihood?”

The fishing community in the coastal districts is heavily dependent on the sea for survival. At least half of the population in fishing colonies directly engages in fishing, while others sell the produce in small outlets or earn daily wages through related activities. The recurring arrests and detention of trawlers have compounded their difficulties.

Most of the trawlers impounded by Sri Lankan authorities remain in ports in the island nation. The fines imposed by Sri Lankan courts are often heavy, making it difficult for fishermen to pay them. As a result, many are forced to serve jail terms of six months or more. Families are suffering, and many elders are experiencing psychological distress.

Mr. Raja made an appeal to the Centre and the newly elected government in Tamil Nadu to secure the release of the jailed fishermen and the return of their trawlers. “The only appeal to the Centre and the newly elected government in Tamil Nadu is to help us by getting the jailed fishermen released on August 15 and take action to get back the trawlers,” he added.

The issue highlights long-standing tensions between India and Sri Lanka over fishing rights in the Palk Strait and the waters around Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974. Indian fishermen have traditionally fished in these waters, but Sri Lankan authorities have periodically cracked down, citing sovereignty and conservation concerns. Successive Indian governments have held diplomatic talks with Sri Lanka to resolve the matter, but a durable solution remains elusive.