Puducherry AIADMK stages protest seeking release of Tamil fishermen from Sri Lankan custody

The AIADMK’s Puducherry unit on Wednesday staged a protest demanding the immediate release of 13 Tamil fishermen, including six from the Union Territory’s Karaikal region, who were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 27.

The AIADMK’s Puducherry unit on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) staged a protest demanding the immediate release of 13 Tamil fishermen, including six from the Union Territory’s Karaikal region, who were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 27.

Led by the party’s Puducherry unit secretary A. Anbalagan, AIADMK functionaries gathered near the district collectorate and raised slogans against the Sri Lankan government for using force against the fishermen and apprehending them. 

Interacting with the media, Mr. Anbalagan said the Union government should take a stern stand against Sri Lanka for its “strong-arm tactics” on Tamil fishermen. The Centre should secure the safe release of the fishermen and ensure that such incidents did not repeat in the future. The Puducherry government should also provide assistance to the families of the fishermen in the Sri Lankan Navy’s custody, he said.

“It is the responsibility of the Indian government to ensure the safety of fishermen while they venture into the sea. The fishermen from the Tamil Nadu coast are a worried lot as they fear for their life because of the belligerence of Sri Lankan maritime agencies,” he said.