The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 25 fishermen from two mechanised boats on Friday night, February 13, 2026. They were caught for allegedly fishing inside Sri Lanka’s waters. The fishermen are now held at the Kankesanthurai naval base for questioning. Most of them come from the Karaikal region. One of the boats had 14 fishermen. Among them, one was from Mayiladuthurai district and five were from Nagapattinam district. The second boat carried 11 fishermen, including two from Mayiladuthurai and seven from Nagapattinam. These fishermen had left Karaikal fishing harbour on February 11. They crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line, triggering the arrest by Sri Lankan Navy late on February 13. The arrest has raised concerns about fishing rights and marine boundaries in the region.