Twenty-seven Indian fishermen were arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters, the island nation's Navy said on Sunday. The fishermen were arrested off the coast of Mannar in the northeast and Delft and Kachchativu islets in the north on Saturday, it said.
The Sri Lankan Navy held two Indian trawlers that continued to remain in island waters off Mannar, with 15 Indian fishermen aboard while three Indian trawlers with 12 fishermen aboard were apprehended near the Delft and Kachchativu Islands, officials said.
The arrested fishermen were handed over to the authorities for further legal action, they said.
In September, 17 Indian fishermen were arrested off the coast of Jaffna's Kakarathivu island.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with the Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan's territorial waters.
The Palk Strait, which is a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.
There have been periodic instances of Indian fishermen being apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Sri Lanka Goes To Snap Polls Tomorrow: How New Parliament Is Elected Sri Lanka vs New Zealand 1st ODI, Live Score Updates Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Live Streaming, 1st ODI: When And Where To Watch Live Telecast Chennai Doctor Stabbed 7 Times By Son Of Woman Who Had Cancer Video: Attacker Walks Away After Stabbing Doctor, People Shout "He Cut Him" Pak Influencer Deactivates Social Media Accounts After Private Video Leaks PM Modi's Govt Gives Highest Priority To Indian Diaspora: Jaishankar UPSC IFS Main Exam 2024 Admit Card To Be Out Tomorrow, Check Details Taliban Conducts 6th Public Execution Since Return To Power In 2021 Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.