Thirty eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy while they were fishing in the Palk Strait on Monday night.

Among the apprehended, 20 fishermen are from Rameswaram while 18 others are from Pudukottai district.

U Arulanandam of Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen said the fishermen were detained around 10pm on Monday. They were being taken to Sri Lanka and would be produced in courts there.

The Sri Lankan navy also detained nine boats of these fishermen. Five boats belong to the Pudukottai fishermen while the rest belong to the Rameswaram fishermen.

Fishermen leaders in Rameswaram, who met on Sunday, called for an indefinite strike starting on July 28 to condemn the frequent apprehension of fishermen and their boats.

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