Sri Lanka Navy captured 4 Indian fishing vessels and arrested 24 fishermen from Rameshwaram late last night off the coast of Thalaimannar. The fishermen from Rameswaram, Thankachimadom and Pamban went in 500 fishing boats yesterday for fishing. Sri Lankan Navy chased them when they were fishing near Kachatheevu islands and arrested them. Fishermen who returned to Rameswaram today morning said that they were fishing in traditional waters.<br/><br/>The arrested fishermen have been brought to Mannar and handed over to the officials of the fisheries department. They will be produced before Mannar Magistrate in the afternoon for judicial remand. An official of India's Consulate office in Jaffna has reached Mannar to assist the fishermen in the legal proceedings.<br/><br/>With today's arrest, Sri Lanka now has 78 Indian fishermen in custody, all of whom are charges with trespassing and poaching into Sri Lankan waters.<br/><br/>The last round of talks between the fishermen's associations of the two countries was held in Chennai but could not produce any breakthrough. The Jaffna fishermen have been agitating for the past few weeks, asking the Sri Lankan government not to permit the Indian fishermen's trawlers in Sri Lankan waters.<br/><br/>