Overview
- The 12 fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam were intercepted between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar and taken with their mechanised trawler to a Sri Lankan naval port.
- Motor-boat crews in Rameswaram launched a one-day strike and families staged a highway blockade after the detainees were lodged in jail, prompting assurances from local officials.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar seeking immediate diplomatic action, a Joint Working Group meeting, and fishermen-level talks.
- Stalin cited 62 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 248 boats currently in Sri Lankan custody, underscoring the scale of detentions and the hardship for coastal livelihoods.
- The seized trawler reportedly belonged to Jothibas of Manthoppu and was unregistered despite being issued a fishing token, as 450 tokens were distributed from the Rameswaram jetty on December 22; associations also plan further demonstrations and aim to petition the Prime Minister.