Sri Lanka Arrests Nine Indian Fishermen, Seizes Trawler

At least nine Indian fishermen were arrested, and their trawler seized for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the island nation's Navy has said.

The fishermen were fishing in the island nation's waters north of Talaimannar after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, the Navy said. The arrests come amid continuing tensions over the fishermen issue, a long-standing irritant in India-Sri Lanka ties.

The



fishermen were apprehended on Wednesday evening during an operation after more than 50 Indian fishing trawlers were found to have allegedly trespassed into Sri Lankan waters south of Iranativu and engaged in illegal fishing, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a statement. 

The nine arrested fishermen and their seized trawler were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for further legal proceedings, the Navy said in a statement on Wednesday.