File photo of boats anchored in Rameswaram.
| Photo Credit: L. Balachandar
In a fresh incident of alleged poaching, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested 22 fishermen from Rameswaram and Mandapam near Katchatheevu and Neduntheevu islet and also impounded four of their vessels on Thursday (Febrauary 19, 2026).
According to preliminary reports, the fisheries department officials has received information that 18 fishermen were apprehended near Katchatheevu islet and four others were detained near Neduntheevu islet. Totally, 22 fishermen and four vessels were taken to two different naval ports in Sri Lanka for interrogation.
It is said that fishermen from Rameswaram and Mandapam ventured into the sea on Wednesday (February 18). They were expected to return to the shores on Thursday noon.
However, while they were engaged in fishing near Katchatheevu and Neduntheevu islet, the surveillance teams of the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended them at around 3 a.m. and took them for interrogation to Talaimannar and Karai Nagar Naval Port.
As the news reached their homes in Tamil Nadu, there was shock and anger among the families. They condemned the incident and demanded immediate release of the fishermen and the vessels.
Meanwhile, the fishermen associations in Ramanathapuram district are likely to convene an emergency meeting at 11 a.m. in Thangachimadam.
With the annual two-day festival at the famous St. Antony’s church in Katchatheevu scheduled to be held on February 27 and 28, in which over 3000 pilgrims from India were to participate, such an incident has sparked a row among the fishermen.
Published – February 19, 2026 10:28 am IST
