High drama prevailed as hundreds of fishermen from the six coastal districts, on Friday, protested in an unprecedented manner and sought retrieval of 76 fishing boats seized by the Lankan government in the past one year. They picketed the rail and the sea routes leading to the Karaikal Marg port besides also blocking roads for hours.

About 250 fishermen blocked the Karaikal-bound Kamban Express at Nagore Pattinacherry village on Friday morning for more than two hours. Simultaneously, about 250 fishing boats from Nagapattinam and Karaikal fishing harbours sailed to Karaikal and picketed the break waters leading to the private port at Melavanjur village in Karaikal. Though section 144 of CrPC was imposed by the district administration in the Port premises, hundreds of fishermen defied the orders .

After hours of persistent besiege, the Nagapattinam district Collector held peace talks with them and assured that diplomatic efforts would be pursued to release the boats before February 10. 

Later, the three levels of protests were called off.

(The New Indian Express)