Sri Lanka Repatriates 17 Arrested Indian Fishermen Over Poaching Allegations

Seventeen Indian fishermen, arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy for allegedly poaching in the nation's waters, were repatriated to India. This follows the repatriation of 21 Indian fishermen earlier. The fishermen issue is a contentious topic in bilateral ties, with frequent arrests and clashes in the Palk Strait.

Seventeen Indian fishermen, arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters, were repatriated to their homes in India on Wednesday, according to the Indian mission.

This development comes shortly after the return of 21 other Indian fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities and repatriated to Chennai on August 2.

The Indian Mission in Sri Lanka posted on X, sharing a photo of the fishermen and stating: "On their way home! 17 Indian fishermen have been successfully repatriated from Sri Lanka." The fishermen issue remains a contentious topic in bilateral relations, with several incidents of the Lankan Navy firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats. Sri Lanka also claims similar actions by Indian authorities.

The Palk Strait, separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground where fishermen from both countries often trespass into each other's waters inadvertently, leading to frequent arrests.

On August 1, an Indian fisherman was killed and another went missing after a collision with a Sri Lankan naval vessel. Earlier on June 25, a senior Sri Lankan Navy sailor died in what was blamed on "the aggressive manoeuvres of an Indian trawler, resisting its seizure."

(With inputs from agencies.)