Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the ministry of external affairs to secure the release of the 38 fishermen who are languishing in Sri Lankan jails.

Fourteen of these fishermen were arrested on Sunday.

The chief minister said 78 boats of fishermen are also in Sri Lanka’s custody.

Colombo is in the habit of retaining the boats even if fishermen are released.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he said 14 fishermen in three fishing boats from Rameswaram fishing port of Ramanathapuram district and Jagathapattinam fishing base of Pudukkottai district were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday and taken to Kankesanthurai along with their boats.

Panneerselvam said the release of five fishermen on death row has been a significant measure, but these arrests show that the island government is back to its familiar tactics of harassing and intimidating Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu while they fish in their traditional fishing waters in the Palk Bay.

He said the other 24 fishermen in Lankan custody are also from Tamil Nadu, and were arrested by the Lankan Navy nearly two months ago.

Thanking Modi for his timely intervention in securing the release of five fishermen from death row, Panneerselvam requested him to instruct the external affairs ministry to take up the matter immediately and ensure the prompt release of the 38 fishermen, as also 78 boats currently in Sri Lankan custody.

He said the Sri Lankan strategy of not releasing the boats was causing great frustration among the fishermen.

“Without their livelihood base, these fishermen are in a state of despondency. I urge you to take this up with the highest authorities of the Sri Lankan government and ensure the immediate release of the precariously berthed boats which continue to suffer great damage in the North-East Monsoon,” he said.

Meanwhile, opposition DMK leader M. Karunanidhi on Monday called upon political parties to raise in parliament the issue of regular arrest of Tamil fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

“Bring pressure on the Centre to find a solution to the problems of fishermen,” he said in a statement here.