Sri Lankan naval agencies on Wednesday apprehended 21 Indian fishermen and their three country boats on charges of poaching in the territorial waters of the island nation.

The fishermen, all hailing from Pamban fishing hamlet in Rameswaram, sailed on a fishing expedition on Tuesday.

Mechanised trawlers are moored on the shore due to a 45-days fishing ban which has been in force since April 15. However, the ban is not applicable to traditional fishermen using country boats.

According to Sri Lankan naval website, the navy assisted Sri Lankan coast guard to detain these fishermen 10 nautical miles off Talaimannar. The fishermen and the boats were handed over to Sri Lankan police at Mannar for further action.

U Arulanandam of the Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen said the arrested fishermen had been produced before a Mannar court and remanded in judicial custody till May 11. They were lodged in a Vavuniya prison after the court verdict.

At present, 34 Indian fishermen, including the ones held on Wednesday, are in Sri Lankan prisons.

(Times of India)