Colombo: The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested nine Indian fishermen and impounded their vessel for allegedly crossing maritime boundaries and poaching in northern territorial waters. Naval personnel carried out the interception south of Delft Island off the Jaffna peninsula after detecting the vessel operating beyond the International Maritime Boundary Line.
According to an official statement released by the island nation’s navy, the interception was executed by naval craft SLNS Samudura during routine sea operations. Following their detention, the crew members and their seized boat were transported to Kankesanthurai Harbour to be turned over to the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for formal legal processing.
Cross-border fishing remains a volatile flashpoint in diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Colombo. The Palk Strait, the narrow waterway dividing Tamil Nadu from northern Sri Lanka, represents a vital and heavily contested fishing ground for local communities on both sides. Indian fishermen frequently venture across the maritime perimeter in search of richer catches, occasionally triggering tense standoffs, warning shots, and boat confiscations by Sri Lankan patrols.
Despite ongoing diplomatic discussions and joint working groups established by both neighbours to resolve maritime friction, inadvertent crossings and subsequent detentions continue to recur along the boundary.
