Rameswaram (TN), (PTI): Demanding the release of 12 fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy,fishermen from this island began their indefinite boycott of the seas Saturday.
A Fishermen's Association member N J Bose said the 12 fishermen had been lodged in Jaffna prison and it was the duty of the Indian government to get them released.
They were arrested on January 22 for allegedly entering the island nation's territorial waters near Kachathivu.
The association demanded that they be allowed to enter the waters near Kachathivu as it was their traditional fishing area. Kachathivu had been ceded to Sri Lanka by India under an agreement which allowed fishing rights for Indian fishermen, the association said.
Meanwhile, officials said five fishermen, who went in a boat in search of four others whose boat had sunk near Neduntivu on January 23, were taken into custody by the LTTE and all of them were released on Saturday.
The officials said earlier the four fishermen were rescued by their Sri Lankan counterparts on January 23 itself and were asked to stay at Kachathivu but LTTE men who spotted them took them to Iranativu.
The five fishermen, who had put to sea on Friday, were also taken to Iranativu by the LTTE. All the nine were released and were on their way home, the officials added.
Fishermen said the Sri Lankan navy and Indian coast guard were monitoring the Indian fishing boats and advising them not to cross the International Maritime Boundary Line as mines had been placed near the IMBL.
They told the officials that they also saw a "yellow ball like thing' floating in the sea, but could not say if it was a was a mine or not.Source: Hindu
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