10 arrested Indian fishermen accused of death of navy sailor in Sri Lanka

Ten Indian fishermen arrested on Monday for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters will be charged in the death of a naval sailor who was killed during an operation to seize a trawler, authorities said.

10 Indian fishermen arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters will be charged in the death of a naval sailor (PTI)

An Able Seaman from the Navy’s Special Boat Squadron suffered serious injuries as a result of “aggressive maneuvers by an Indian trawler resisting its capture,” said a statement issued by the Sri Lanka Navy.

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“Unfortunately, the Able Seaman succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the Jaffna University Hospital,” it added.

The navy said 10 Indian fishermen were arrested on Monday and their trawler was seized.

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The trawler was taken to Kankesanthurai port and the fishermen were handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for legal proceedings.

The Kankesanthurai police filed a ‘B’ report in the Mallakam court in Jaffna seeking arraignment of 10 Indian fishermen.

“They were charged with illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters, the death of a navy member during the operation and causing damage to maritime property,” the statement reads.

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A Jaffna judge conducted an autopsy on the deceased sailor’s body. An examination showed the sailor’s death was an accident resulting from spinal cord damage, the Navy said.

Fishermen from Jaffna attended the funeral of a 40-year-old sailor in the northwestern district of Kurunegala.

The fishermen issue has been a controversial issue in India-Sri Lanka relations as Sri Lankan naval personnel have even shot at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and confiscated their boats in several alleged cases of illegal entry into Sri Lankan territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.

Fishermen from both countries are often arrested for inadvertently entering the other country’s waters.

The Sri Lankan Navy said it had arrested more than 200 Indian fishermen and seized 27 trawlers this year for illegally fishing in the country’s waters.

In 2023, the Navy arrested 240 Indian fishermen and 35 cutters for alleged poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.