Sri Lanka Navy arrests nine Indian fishermen for poaching near Delft Island

The Sri Lanka Navy arrested nine Indian fishermen and seized their trawler on Saturday, October 3, for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters south of Delft Island, Jaffna, the island nation's navy said in a statement.

The fishermen were apprehended after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. "During the operation, one Indian fishing trawler was seized, while nine Indian fishermen on board were taken into custody by SLNS Samudura," the statement said.

Those arrested were taken to Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to Sri Lanka's Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for further legal proceedings.

The arrest adds to a long-running and contentious issue in India-Sri Lanka relations, with the Sri Lankan Navy having previously fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seized boats in multiple alleged cases of illegal entry into Sri Lankan waters. The Palk Strait, a narrow stretch of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground used by fishermen from both countries, who are frequently arrested for inadvertently crossing into each other's territorial waters.