Chennai/UNI: Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who had ventured into the sea for fishing for the first time after an eight-day hiatus due to Cyclone Michaung, were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy in the wee hours of Thursday.

The fishermen, hailing from Pamban in Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district, were arrested on charges of venturing into the Lankan waters for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the high seas after they sailed into the sea on Wednesday night.

Police said the fishermen ventured into the sea on a boat belonging to M. Uyirtharaj of Mandapam.

Even as they were in the high seas, the Sri Lankan Navy surrounded them and towed them to the island nation and also seized their boat.

The arrested fishermen were identified as A.Jayastan, T. Thalsa, A. Charles, S. Lasar Kebiston, T. Dinesh, R. Muniyasamy, S. Arul Pritson and O.Jan Simon.

Fishing boats from the Rameswaram island had not ventured into the sea since November 30 as fishermen were advised against setting sail into the Bay of Bengal due to the cyclone which had touched the TN coast, accompanied by strong gusty winds that touched closed to 100 kmph moved towards the Andhra Pradesh coast and crossed near Bapatla.

The arrest of eight fishermen on the first day of their entering the sea has caused anxiety among the fishing community and they urged the state government to take immediate steps to ensure their release and sustain their livelihood.