Eight fishermen from Sri Lanka held on poaching charges in Ramanathapuram

ICG detains 8 Sri Lankans, impounds 4 boats in Ramanthapuram. Q Branch officers conduct inquiries. 500 kg turmeric, 500 kg sea-cucumber seized from 4 locals. Customs unit officers investigate if gold bars were dropped into sea.

The surveillance team of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) detained eight persons, identified as Sri Lankans, and impounded four fibre boats in Ramanthapuram in the early hours of Tuesday.

Mandapam Marine police said ICG personnel handed the eight persons over to the police for interrogation. Physical checks on the boats did not yield any contraband, the police were informed by the ICG.

Central and State agencies, including Q Branch officers are conducting inquiries with the Sri Lankans, who have come from the Puttalam district of the island nation.

The Sri Lankans had reportedly said they were fishermen and, due to heavy wind, their fibre boats had crossed into Indian waters.

Further inquiries are on.

In another development, four residents of Mandapam, Marakayar Pattinam in Ramanathapuram district were detained by the ICG personnel and handed over to the Mandapam Forest department officials for interrogation. It is said that they were sailing in a country boat, and checks revealed that they had about 500 kg of turmeric and another 500 kg of sea-cucumber in the boat.

With seizure of gold from the region reported a month ago, Customs unit officers visited the spot and held inquiries with the suspects, sources said and added that it was also being examined if the accused persons had dropped any gold bars into the sea.