The Sri lankan Navy on Thursday arrested 32 Indian fishermen for alleged illegal fishing off the east coast, taking the total number of fishermen arrested during the last two days to nearly 70.
The fishermen were arrested early morning off the coast of Pulmoddai in the eastern seas and they were being escorted by the Navy to reach the port of Trincomalee, Naval spokesman, Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya, said.
The fishermen would face legal action at Trincomalee.
Official sources said the fishermen were arrested and their four trawler seized while they were fishing in the Palk Straits on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary line (IMBl).
The arrest came after some 37 Indian fishermen were arrested for breaching the IMBl off the northern coast of the island on Monday.
The issue of Indian fishermen breaching Sri lanka’s IMBl figures heavily in the bilateral talks across Palk Straits.
lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the issue of fishermen must be best left to be dealt with by the respective fishermen communities.