Chennai, Oct 18 (IANS): Hundreds of fishermen participated in a protest staged outside the General Post Office in Rameswaram seeking the Union government's intervention to bring back the 27 arrested fishermen and their boats, impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy a few days ago.

Leaders of fishermen unions called upon the Union government to bring back the jailed fishermen and their five mechanized boats that were impounded by the Lankan Navy on October 14. The fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Leader of the Fishermen Association, A. Jesu Raja said that the fishermen were arrested despite "strictly adhering to the rules" laid down by the Indian and the Sri Lankan governments.

He said that since 2018 till date 125 fishing boats that include both mechanized and country boats were impounded; while fishermen were released, the boats were not.

Raja further said that each mechanized boat costs between Rs 35 to 40 lakh and fishermen lose their livelihood without boats.

The fishermen participating in the agitation told media persons that venturing into Palk Bay these days has become a matter of life and death.