At least 19 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy last night for allegedly fishing in Lankan waters were on Saturday remanded in custody till October 23.
The Point Pedro’s Acting Magistrate issued their remand orders after they were presented before him earlier this morning. The 19 fishermen were arrested last night and their two trawlers were also seized off the coast of Point Pedro in the north by the Sri Lankan Navy.
They were handed over to the officials of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for further investigations, the navy said. Fishermen violating each other’s territorial waters has become a thorny issue in the Indo-Lanka relations. Vijitha Herath, the opposition JVP parliamentarian who moved the adjournment time debate said that illegal fishing by Indians was a threat to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and the authorities must apply strict laws such as to confiscate Indian boats doing illegal fishing.