Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Sri Lanka arrests 23 Indian fishermen for poaching

The 23 apprehended fishermen and their two trawlers were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, Sri Lanka Navy said

Sri Lanka arrests 23 Indian fishermen for poaching

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 23 Indian fishermen and seized two trawlers for allegedly poaching in the waters of the island nation, an official statement in Colombo said.

The fishermen were arrested, and their two trawlers were seized on Saturday (3) north of the Delft Island, Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release on Sunday.


The 23 apprehended fishermen and their two trawlers were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said.

"The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters on the night of February 3, 2024.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 2 Indian trawlers and the apprehension of 23 Indian nationals poaching in the northern waters of Sri Lanka, off the Delft Island in Jaffna, the statement said.

The Navy conducts regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices by foreign fishing trawlers, considering the consequences of these practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.

In continuation of these efforts, the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft belonging to the Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, as the trawlers were detected engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters on Saturday.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.

There have been periodic instances of Indian fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

In January, as many as 36 Indian fishermen were arrested by Sri Lanka. In 2023, the island nation's Navy arrested 240 Indian fishermen along with 35 trawlers for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

(PTI)

More For You

care workers

New report exposed a system that has pushed vulnerable carers into financial and emotional turmoil. (Photo for representation: iStock)

Carer's allowance penalties trap many in debt: report

HUNDREDS of thousands of unpaid carers have been hammered by harsh penalties for minor rule breaches, a damning national audit has revealed.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report exposed a system that has pushed vulnerable carers into financial and emotional turmoil.

Keep ReadingShow less
Urfan Sharif

Urfan Sharif had signed agreements prohibiting 'any physical chastisement' of children after facing multiple accusations of abuse.(Photo: Reuters)

Urfan Sharif had signed agreements prohibiting 'any physical chastisement' of children after facing multiple accusations of abuse.(Photo: Reuters)

Urfan Sharif was accused of abuse before Sara's birth: Report

SARA SHARIF’s father, Urfan Sharif, was repeatedly accused of abuse in the 13 years leading up to her murder, according to family court documents.

These records, according to The Times, reveal a history of physical abuse, neglect, and domestic violence within the family, with multiple interventions by social services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Healthcare workers hold placards as they demonstrate on Westminster Bridge, near to St Thomas' Hospital in London on May 1, 2023. (Photo: Getty Images)
Healthcare workers hold placards as they demonstrate on Westminster Bridge, near to St Thomas' Hospital in London on May 1, 2023. (Photo: Getty Images)

Teachers, nurses warn of strikes over 2.8 per cent pay rise proposal

TEACHERS and nurses may strike after the government recommended a 2.8 per cent pay rise for public sector workers for the next financial year.

Ministers cautioned that higher pay awards would require cuts in Whitehall budgets.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man walks past a mural that says ‘Northern Ireland’, on Sandy Row in Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 11, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)
A man walks past a mural that says ‘Northern Ireland’, on Sandy Row in Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 11, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

Northern Ireland approves extension of post-Brexit trade rules

NORTHERN Ireland’s devolved government has voted to continue implementing post-Brexit trading arrangements under the Windsor Framework, a deal signed between London and the European Union in February 2023.

The vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont extended the arrangement for four years.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Covid bereavement rates in Scotland highest among Asians'
Ethnic groups were found to be two-and-a-half times more likely to have experienced the loss of a close family member.

'Covid bereavement rates in Scotland highest among Asians'

THE bereavement rates due to Covid in Scotland have been highest among those identifying with ‘Any other’ ethnic group (68 per cent), followed by Indians (44 per cent) and Pakistanis (38 per cent), a new study revealed. This is significantly higher than the national average of around 25 per cent.

Ethnic groups were found to be two-and-a-half times more likely to have experienced the loss of a close family member during the Covid crisis.

Keep ReadingShow less