Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged the Centre to secure the early release and safe repatriation of 25 fishermen from Thoothukudi district who were detained by the Maldives Coast Guard along with three mechanised fishing boats.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Vijay sought his personal intervention and urged him to take up the matter with the Maldivian government through appropriate diplomatic channels. The Chief Minister stated that the fishermen were detained in the early hours of October 13, alongside their three boats, which were likewise seized by authorities in the Maldives.
Vijay formally requested that the matter be taken up via diplomatic channels to facilitate the prompt release and safe return of both the personnel and their vessels. He noted that Jaishankar's personal involvement would offer vital reassurance to the families of the affected workers and the broader fishing community.
The appeal follows an earlier letter sent this month in which Vijay requested immediate action from Jaishankar to secure the liberation of 20 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 270 fishing boats detained by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Highlighting the wider issue, the Chief Minister pointed out that these recurring detentions are generating substantial fear and anxiety across coastal fishing populations in Tamil Nadu. Traditional reliance on regional waters for daily livelihoods means that ongoing arrests and vessel seizures continue to subject local families to immense distress and severe economic hardship.