Coast guard detains 25 Lankan fishermen for venturing in Indian waters

The Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday said it had seized five Sri Lankan fishing boats which had a total of 25 crewmen. In a statement issued here, it said the Sri Lankan fishing boats were fishing illegally in the Indian waters when they were detected, about 90 km off Nagapattinam.

A total of 4,200 kgs of tuna fish illegally caught from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone was seized from them. All the apprehended boats were brought to Karaikal harbour for a joint investigation by relevant security agencies, the Coast Guard said.

In light of the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, maritime surveillance was heightened to foil any anti-national elements gaining access into Indian coastal areas and engaging in activities detrimental to national interests, the statement said.