SL navy arrests 18 Puducherry, Tamil Nadu fishers for ‘poaching’

KARAIKAL: A total of 18 fishermen from Puducherry and Tamil Nadu who ventured into sea from Karaikal in a mechanised boat on Sunday night were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy early on Tuesday for alleged poaching. The fishermen have been remanded in judicial custody until December 10. Of those arrested, 15 are from Puducherry’s Karaikal while two are from Nagapattinam. The other fisherman is from Mayiladuthurai.

According to sources, the group of 18 fishermen, after staying put at shore for nearly two weeks owing to restrictions enforced by the fisheries department, put out to sea from Karaikal fishing harbour around 8 pm on Sunday.