Ramnad:
The Sri Lankan government has allegedly slapped drug smuggling charges on five Rameswaram fishermen who were detained by its navy near Nedunthivu on Monday.
Around 702 mechanised boats had ventured into sea for fishing on Monday. Following a technical snag, one of the boats anchored at Nedunthivu and Emerson, Augustus, Wilson, Pirasath and Lenglet were trying to fix the problem when they were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Around the same time, two Sri Lankan nationals were said to have been arrested in Kankesandurai for possessing brown sugar. It is now alleged that the five Indian fishermen were taken to Kankesandurai, 250 km from Nedunthivu, and booked for smuggling along with the two Sri Lankans.