COLOMBO, Oct 28 (AFP) - India’s coastguard and navy stepped up a blockade Thursday to stop Indian fishermen from leading a flotilla to neighbouring Sri Lanka to protest at frequent arrests, navy officials here said.
Hundreds of fishermen from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu had planned to enter Sri Lankan territorial waters Thursday to protest at the impounding of their trawlers straying into the island’s waters.
"The Indian navy and the coastguard had stepped up patrols and set up an effective blockade," Sri Lankan navy spokesman Jayantha Perera said. "We were also ready with our own arrangements but the protest did not materialise."
Indian fishermen are frequently detained by the Sri Lankan navy as well as by local fishermen who accuse their Indian counterparts of trawling in the rich prawn grounds off the island’s northwestern coast.
The two neighbours have had several high-level meetings to address the issue of fishermen crossing the international boundary but the problem persists.
