The Navy, in the early hours of yesterday, took into custody two Indian fishing trawlers which were poaching off Mannar. "We also arrested 12 fishermen. They were handed over to the Talaimannar police for further action" security sources said.
The suspects were to be produced in the Mannar Magistrate’s Court later Tuesday.
The sources said that two Indian trawlers were to be handed over to the Karainagar Navy base.
The arrests came hot on the heels of an assurance by the navy, at a conference held at the Bishop’s House in Mannar on Monday. The top brass assured the protesting Mannar fishermen that they would do everything possible to discourage the Indian fishermen from poaching in the territorial waters of Sri.
Following this, the fishermen suspended their protest campaign. (NP)
