Tamil Nadu fishermen to picket Katchatheevu demanding release of boats from Sri Lankan custody

MADURAI: Fishermen associations in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday announced picketing of the

Katchatheevu

islet on April 25 to demand the release of their

fishing boats

from the custody of the Sri Lankan government. Katchatheevu is an islet administered by

Sri Lanka

.

Addressing reporters after a meeting of fishers associations in Rameswaram on Tuesday, one of the leaders, N J Bose, said several fishermen lost their livelihood as Sri Lanka confiscated 145 fishing boats.

Foreign secretary S Jaishankar, who will be visiting Sri Lanka on April 7, should take up this issue with Sri Lankan authorities to secure the release of Indian fishing boats, he said.

Tamil film director V Gowthaman, who participated in the meeting as a special guest, said picketing of Katchatheevu would be backed by students and youth in the state. He said fishermen from other coastal districts of Tamil Nadu would also participate in the protest.