Sri Lanka detains 25 Indian fishermen

COLOMBO - Sri Lanka's navy has detained 25 Indian fishermen an official said here on Friday adding to their haul of 180 arrests in December amidst escalating tension between the two neighbors.

Five boats were also apprehended and handed over to police, navy spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya told reporters.

This brings the tally of Indian fishermen arrested while fishing in Sri Lankan waters to 205 with a similar number of Sri Lankan fishermen being detained by the Indian coast guard.

The issue of Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen crossing over into each other's territorial waters to poach illegally has existed years but tensions have spiraled over the last few months with both sides increasing arrests.

Reports have indicated 213 Sri Lankan fishermen with 40 boats are in Indian custody.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said her government will extend all help to the Indian central government to facilitate talks between Indian fishermen and their Sri Lankan counterparts in Chennai on 20 January 2014 to resolve the dispute over fishing rights in each other's territorial waters.

The frequent arrests of Tamil fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy for maritime violations have been a bone of contention between the center and the state and have also threatened to strain Indo-Lanka relations.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the chief minister wanted the government to take firm steps to seek the release of fishermen arrested by the Lankan navy, Indian media reported.

Thousands of south Indian fishermen have staged protests over the last few weeks including going on strike and fasting to get the arrested fishermen released.