Chennai, Feb 13 (IANS): The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 12 Indian fishermen from Rameswaram and seized two mechanized boats belonging to them. The incident occurred on Saturday. The fishermen, according to information, are lodged in Sri Lankan jail.

At least 1,200 fishermen from Rameswaram had ventured into the sea in 400 mechanized boats on Friday. Twelve of them were fishing near the Dhanushodi-Thalaimannar region in the Palk Strait when the Sri Lankan navy intercepted them and charged them for crossing the International Marine Boundary Line (IMBL) and arrested them.

The arrested fishermen are Xavier, Raja, Napolean, Padalam, Jeromiyas, Arockiadas, Raman, James, Ranjith, Muneeshwaran, Sekar and Mukta.

Fishermen associations in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu are protesting since February 9 demanding the release of 11 fishermen from Akkarapettai in Nagapattinam district who were arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities on February 8.

Leader of the Fishermen association S. Jesu Raja has already sent appeals to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to intervene for the immediate release of the fishermen from Tamil Nadu.