RAMESWARAM: Four fishermen from Rameswaram, who ventured into the sea on Monday were allegedly arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Wednesday. Govindaraj (45), Arumuguam (35), Kumar (34) and Kalanjianathan (53) ventured into the sea in a boat belonging to one Bose. They were supposed to return on Tuesday morning but did not return after which a few fishermen took a search order from the fisheries department and went looking for their missing comrades.

However, they were not able to trace them and returned to the shore. On Wednesday, when they went in search again, they found the boat, in which the fishermen had gone, was being towed away by the Sri Lankan Navy.

N.J. Bose, general secretary of the fishermen association said that fishermen from the rescue team informed them about the towing away of the boat by the Sri Lankan Navy. The four fishermen, along with their boat were taken to Thalaimannar, he said.

The fishermen association has taken up the issue with the state fisheries minister, K.A. Jayapal and the fisheries department who have assured help.
"We have approached the Congress state president, Gnanadesikan to get the Centre's help in this regard. We hope that they will be released like the other 35 fishermen, who were released by Sri Lanka on Tuesday," Jayapal said.

On Tuesday, the Sri Lankan Navy repatriated 35 fishermen who were stranded in Sri Lankan waters due to cyclone Thane. The fishermen from Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts who went into the sea before the cyclone intensified were caught in mid-sea and their boats drifted into Sri Lankan waters. The island navy, after preliminary inquiries handed them over to the Indian Coast Guard who brought them to Mandapam on Tuesday. (Source: Times of India)