Chennai, Mar 14 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin today urged

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate necessary diplomatic steps to

secure the early release of all the 16 fishermen and 102 fishing boats that

were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy.

In a Demi-Official letter to Mr Modi, copies of which were released to the

media here, he said 16 fishermen along with their two Mechanised Fishing

boats were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy on March 12.

These two boats belong to Nagapattinam and Pudukkottai districts fishermen.

This is the third incident of attack/arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan

Nationals/Navy within a month and as you are aware, these fishermen are solely

dependent on their fishing activity for livelihood and such frequent incidents

shatter the livelihood of poor fishermen and also create fear psychosis in their

mind.

"In my earlier letters, I have brought this issue to the notice of the Union

Minister of External Affairs who has taken up the matter with the Sri Lankan

Government. Despite such steps being taken by the Indian Government,

such incidents continue to take place", he added.

"At this moment, I wish to seek your personal intervention in this regard

to ensure that the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen are protected

permanently and such that these incidents do not recur", Mr Stalin said.

"As of now, 102 fishing boats of Tamil Nadu are under the custody of Sri

Lanka and 6 fishing boats which were released by Sri Lanka are yet to be

repatriated back to India", he pointed out.

"Therefore, I request that necessary diplomatic steps may be initiated to

secure the early release of all the 16 fishermen and 102 fishing boats that

were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy", he said.