Sri Lankan Navy arrests 10 Indian fishermen

Colombo, Feb 3 (PTI) – In a fresh escalation of tensions over fishing rights, the Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended 10 Indian fishermen and seized their boat for allegedly trespassing into Sri Lankan territorial waters, officials confirmed on Monday.

According to a statement from the Sri Lankan Navy, the arrests took place during a special operation conducted south of Mannar on Sunday. "The Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 10 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters," the statement read.

The detained fishermen were brought to Thalpadu Pier in Mannar and will be handed over to the Mannar Fisheries Inspector for further legal proceedings, the Navy added.

Rising Tensions Over Fishing Disputes​

This latest incident follows closely on the heels of a violent confrontation near Delft Island, where 13 Indian fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy, leaving two with serious injuries. Just last week, five Indian fishermen sustained injuries—two critically—after Sri Lankan Navy personnel allegedly opened fire on them, sparking diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

India strongly condemned the use of force in such incidents, with the Ministry of External Affairs summoning Sri Lanka’s acting High Commissioner in New Delhi to lodge a formal protest. The Indian High Commission in Colombo also raised concerns with the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry over the matter.

Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, later clarified that the injuries sustained by the fishermen were due to the accidental discharge of a firearm by a Navy personnel.

A Long-Standing Conflict​

The issue of fishermen straying into Sri Lankan waters has been a longstanding source of friction between India and Sri Lanka, with frequent reports of Lankan naval personnel firing at Indian fishermen or confiscating their boats.

In 2024 alone, Sri Lanka’s Navy has arrested 529 Indian fishermen on charges of illegal poaching. The Sri Lankan government maintains that such operations are necessary to protect the livelihood of its local fishermen, who are often impacted by foreign fishing activities.