Chennai, 12 December: Another 11 Sri Lankan fishermen in two boats were arrested by the Indian Coast Guards when they strayed into the Indian territorial waters. The Coast Guards also arrested the two boats used by them which had all the facilities for multi-day fishing.

According to sources, it was revealed the arrested Sri Lankan fishermen were from Negombo as well as from Matara.

Earlier, eight Sri Lankan fishing vessels with forty two crew members were apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard and were brought to the Chennai fisheries harbour on 7th December.

A joint Interrogation Committee was expected to meet today in Chennai to ascertain the motives of the arrested fishermen straying into Indian waters.

The Joint Interrogation Committee would be headed by Collector of Customs Chennai and the representatives Coast Guards, Police and Department of Fisheries. Also representatives from Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission in Chennai would participate in the committee’s deliberations.

The Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai, P M Amza speaking to Asian Tribune said that the Committee was expected to investigate the earlier 42 fishermen and also the recently arrested 11 fishermen and would determine whether these were genuine fishermen and whether they strayed intentionally or unintentionally into the Indian waters.