Nagapattinam, Jan 9 (Reporter) The Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard on Thursday arrested 10 fishermen from Puducherry and seized a mechanized fishing trawler allegedly for violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters. Tamil Nadu fisheries department officials said here that the fishermen, hailing from Keezhakasakudy village in Karaikal were arrested, when they were fishing on high seas off the Kovilan Lighthouse, Karainagar in Jaffna. The fishermen had set sail into the sea from Nagapattinam on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Navy in a statement said that during a special operation to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing boats, a Fast Attack Craft of the Northern Naval Command along with Sri Lankan Coast Guard spotted a cluster of Indian fishing boats engaging in unlawful fishing in Sri Lankan waters in the wee hours. The operation resulted in the apprehension of 10 Indian fishermen and seizure of one Indian fishing trawler, who continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters. The seized boat together with Indian fishermen was taken to the Kankesanthurai harbour and were handed over to the Mailadi fisheries officials for onward legal proceedings. This is the first instance of arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy this year. In 2024 alone, the Sri Lankan maritime forces apprehended 554 Indian fishermen and seized 72 Indian fishing boats so far this year and handed them over to the fisheries authorities for legal action...////...