Chennai: It is hardly a few days since Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal intervention for diplomatic steps to get Indian fishermen released from Sri Lankan custody, seven more fishermen were arrested on Thursday on the charges of International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) violation.

Fisheries department sources here said the fishermen from Ramanathapuram district were in deep in the sea in Nedutheevu, close to Lankan coast. The Lankan Navy also seized two boats from them. This is third instance of arrest of fishermen by Lankan navy in July.

Meanwhile, urging Modi to take measures for release of fishermen, Palaniswami said almost every fishing voyage of the fishermen is disrupted with repeated incidents of apprehension or harassment by the Lankan Navy.

“Such continuing incidents of apprehensions of the traditional fishermen are seen as a deliberate attempt to derail the efforts to find a permanent solution through diplomatic efforts of the Centre”, he said, exhorting the Prime Minister to take up the matter with Sri Lanka and arrange for the immediate release of all the 60 fishermen in custody.