Even as the Rameswaram fisher folk continued their agitation against the killing on Monday of a fisherman from Thankachimadom hamlet allegedly by the Sri lankan Navy and refused to accept the dead body, the Coast Guard on Wednesday took into custody two Sri lankan fishing boats and 10-member crew who were found fishing in the Indian side of the International Maritime Boundary line.
A Press release by the Coast Guard said Arnvesh, a surveillance ship, apprehended two Sri lankan fishing boats ‘Manoj’ (IMUl-A-0689-MTR) and ‘Kalanaputha-03’ (IMUl-A-0137 TlE) with the crew members while fishing 50 miles south east of Nagapattinam which is 4 miles within Indian waters from the Indo-Sri lanka International Maritime Boundary line.
The Coast Guard release said the boats and the ten-member crew were escorted to Karaikkal and handed over to the Coastal Security Group of the Tamil Nadu Police.
Interestingly, there were no releases either from the Indian Navy or the Coast Guard about the Monday night shoot-out in Palk Bay which resulted in the death of the Thankachomadom fisherman Bristo.
The family members of Bristo refused to accept the solatium of Rs5 lakh declared by the Tamil Nadu Government.
“We want a permanent solution to the problems faced by the fishermen from Tamil Nadu who fish in the traditional waters in the Palk Strait. Bristo should be the last person to die in the hands of Sri lankan Navy,” said his mother Mary who sat in front of the local church demanding the immediate intervention of the Centre in the issue.