Tue Feb 04 00:03:42 IST 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Urges Intervention in Sri Lankan Fishermen Arrests

**Chennai, February 4, 2025** – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has appealed to India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for immediate diplomatic action to halt the ongoing arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. In a letter penned on Monday, Mr. Stalin highlighted the recent arrest of 10 fishermen from Mandapam, bringing the total number of fishermen apprehended in the last 27 days to 63, along with five fishing boats. This follows a pattern of increased arrests, with 530 fishermen and 71 boats seized in 36 separate incidents last year. Currently, 97 fishermen and 216 boats remain in Sri Lankan custody.

Mr. Stalin emphasized the severe economic hardship faced by the affected coastal communities, urging for the swift release of all detained fishermen and their boats. He described the situation as a “vexed issue” requiring urgent high-level diplomatic intervention to prevent further arrests and alleviate the suffering of hundreds of families.

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