In a fresh incident, 10 fishermen from Pamban and Thangachimadam in the coastal district of Ramanathapuram were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel on charges of poaching on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) night.
As the news spread in the habitations on Thursday (April 9), the fisherfolk threatened to boycott the upcoming election. “As the Union and State governments have not come to our rescue, we wonder if we belong to this nation... The arrests have not only made our livelihood a big question mark but have also forced us to leave the profession, as there is no security,” they said.
In the past, whenever Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested fishermen, they were released after serving a fortnight in prison. However, in recent times, courts in the island nation have been imposing hefty fines, which the fishermen are unable to pay. As a result, they remain in judicial custody for several months.
A little over 165 fishermen have been languishing in prisons, and at least 150 mechanised trawlers have been lying in ports in Sri Lanka since the COVID-19 period. Each trawler is worth ₹40-₹60 lakh, and without upkeep, they cannot be operated. The fishermen argued that they would boycott the polls to protest and draw the attention of the governments.
