By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

 Sri Lanka Navy took into custody five Indian trawlers, along with 27 Indian nationals poaching in Sri Lankan waters on the seas off Mannar, Delft and Kachchatheevu Islands in Jaffna.  
These arrests were during special operations initiated by the Sri Lanka Navy to deter Indian poaching trawlers from encroaching into Sri Lankan waters.   

The Navy said their North Central Naval Command and Northern Naval Command deployed fast attack craft, inshore patrol craft and smaller vessels to repel a group of Indian poaching trawlers that were discovered engaging in unauthorized fishing in Sri Lankan waters.  

During these operations, the North Central Naval Command apprehended two trawlers with 15 Indian fishermen aboard, which had persisted within Sri Lankan waters off Mannar.  
Also, the Northern Naval Command seized three trawlers with 12 Indian fishermen found poaching near the Delft and Kachchatheevu Islands.