Secure release of 47 fishermen apprehended by Lankan Navy: TN CM tells Centre

Chennai, Oct 9 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to expeditiously secure the release of 47 Tamil Nadu fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy.

Drawing the central minister's immediate attention to the apprehension of 47 fishermen, who set sail from Ramanathapuram on five fishing boats earlier in the day, the chief minister said the incident caused significant distress within the fishing community, spreading fear and uncertainty across the coastal districts.

"It is pertinent to highlight that this is the first instance in 2025 where such a large number of fishermen have been apprehended on a single day," Stalin said in a letter addressed to Jaishankar.

Repeated incidents such as these not only jeopardised the safety and livelihoods of our fishermen but also severely undermined their morale and confidence in pursuing their traditional occupation, he added.

As of today, a total of 242 fishing boats and 74 fishermen from Tamil Nadu remain in Sri Lankan custody. "Given the seriousness of the situation, I earnestly request your urgent intervention to address this matter with the authorities concerned and also to secure the expeditious release of the apprehended fishermen and their boats," the CM said in the letter.

Also, he urged Jaishankar to revive the Joint Working Group and to take all diplomatic efforts to ensure that such incidents did not recur. PTI JSP JSP KH