[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on Thursday morning, where a strong protest was lodged concerning the death of an Indian fisherman, according to a ministry statement.
The ministry reported that earlier that day, a collision occurred between a Sri Lankan naval vessel and an Indian fishing boat approximately 5 nautical miles north of Katchatheevu Island. Among the four Indian fishermen aboard the vessel, one has perished, another remains missing, and two have been rescued and taken to Kankesanthurai.
Efforts continue in the search for the missing Indian fisherman. Officials from the Indian Consulate in Jaffna have received orders to proceed immediately to Kankesanthurai to provide all necessary support to the affected fishermen and their families.
The statement underscored the government’s utmost concern for the safety and security of Indian fishermen, noting that such issues are frequently brought up at the highest levels with Sri Lanka.
On July 23, the Sri Lankan Navy detained nine fishermen from Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram, according to the Rameswaram Fishermen Association.
The fishermen’s association reports that 535 boats set out to sea for fishing on Monday. On July 19, a significant protest was organized by Rameswaram fishermen against the Sri Lankan Navy’s recurrent arrests, calling for the prompt release of the 74 fishermen detained this year
In 1974, India transferred the ownership of the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka, followed by a 1976 agreement restricting Indian fishermen from the waters around the island, which has led to two ongoing Supreme Court challenges over the past two decades due to dissatisfaction with the transfer and reduced rights.
Fishermen from both countries have occasionally breached the agreement concerning the waters around the uninhabited island.
[ad_2]
