Tamil Nadu Fishermen Body Calls on Government to Fast-Track Return of 22 Men Released from Sri Lankan Custody

A fishermen's association in Tamil Nadu has urged the Indian government to act swiftly to bring home 22 fishermen who have been released from detention in Sri Lanka, calling on authorities to cut through bureaucratic delays and ensure the men are reunited with their families without further postponement.

Release Welcomed, But Repatriation Awaited

While the release of the fishermen has been welcomed as a positive development, the association stressed that the job is far from done. The men, who had been held in Sri Lankan custody, are yet to return to Indian shores, and their families remain anxious about when they will finally be able to come home.

Representatives of the fishermen's body have appealed directly to the Indian central government to engage with the necessary diplomatic and administrative channels to expedite the repatriation process. They emphasised that delays of this nature cause immense hardship to the families of the detained men, many of whom depend on these fishermen as their sole breadwinners.

A Recurring Issue for Coastal Communities

The detention of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan naval authorities is a long-standing and deeply sensitive issue affecting fishing communities along the Tamil Nadu coastline. Fishermen frequently cross into Sri Lankan waters, often inadvertently, while pursuing their livelihood in the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar — areas where maritime boundaries remain a source of ongoing tension between the two neighbouring nations.

Such incidents have repeatedly strained relations between fishing communities on both sides, while also placing pressure on the diplomatic ties between India and Sri Lanka.

Calls for Diplomatic Urgency

The association made clear that while they appreciate any steps already taken through diplomatic channels, the pace of progress is insufficient given the circumstances faced by the detained men and their waiting families.

The fishermen have already been released — what remains is a matter of political will and administrative efficiency to bring them back home safely and promptly.

Community leaders have also called for longer-term measures to prevent such detentions from recurring, including clearer maritime boundary awareness programmes for fishing communities and stronger bilateral agreements to handle such cases more humanely and efficiently.

As of now, the 22 fishermen remain in Sri Lanka pending the completion of repatriation formalities, with their families and associations watching closely for action from New Delhi.

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