CM writes to EAM Jaishankar seeking release of 11 fishermen held by Sri Lankan navy

PRESS RELEASE Text of the D.O. Letter of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru S. Joseph Vijay addressed to the Hon'ble Union Minister for External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar seeking early response towards the release of 11 apprehended Indian fishermen along with their boat I write to seek your personal intervention regarding the apprehension of eleven Indian fishermen from Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, along with a mechanised fishing boat, by the Sri Lankan Navy on 06.08.2026. In this incident, the boat had run aground near the shore of Neduntheevu due to a mechanical failure. However, the Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended the boat along with the fishermen, alleging that it had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The recurring arrest of our fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy causes deep anguish among the fishing community, disrupts their livelihoods, and creates uncertainty among those dependent on the Palk Bay for their sustenance. I therefore request you to kindly take up the matter with the Government of Sri Lanka through appropriate diplomatic channels and facilitate the early release and safe repatriation of all the apprehended fishermen, along with the release of their fishing boat. Further, I would also like to reiterate that early revival of bilateral dialogue through the Joint Working Group (JWG) would help address these recurring issues so that they do not happen again. I look forward to your personal intervention and an early response towards safeguarding the livelihoods and interests of our fishermen. Released by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9