Dark waters brought danger for seven Tamil fishermen as Sri Lankan Navy boats closed in at dawn Sunday near Neduntheevu.
The Pudukkottai locals had launched their trawlers—one bearing the name “IND TN08” and the other “IND TN18″—from their hometown harbor, Jegathapattinam, the day before.
But within sight of sunrise near the small island, the men’s fishing run was cut short by an all-too-familiar foe. Arrested on trespassing allegations, they and their boats were hauled to Kankesanthurai base.
Names of the detained surfaced: Kaliappan, 53, led the group along with youth Akilan, 18. Oldtimer Kodi Mari, 65, also joined Sheikh Abdullah, 35, Thangaraj, 54, Jayaraman, 40, and Saravanan, 24.
Their capture highlights the lingering vulnerability of India’s fisherfolk operating along shared seas. As political tensions stir waters between the neighbors, a more secure passage is sorely needed to end such cycles of strife.
