17 fishermen from Rameswaram arrested by Sri Lanka, CM Stalin tells Centre
Chennai (PTI): Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday apprised the Centre of the arrest of 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizure of their two boats by Sri Lanka and called for quick steps for their release and the boats as well.
Stalin, writing to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, said that 17 fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested and their two mechanised fishing boats were seized by the Sri Lankan Navy on December 24, 2024.
Also, Stalin brought to Jaishankar's notice, two separate incidents of attack on fishermen from Kodiyakkarai in Nagapattinam district by 6 unidentified Sri Lankan nationals on December 20.
"In this outrageous incident, three out of six fishermen who sailed in two country crafts were injured and their belongings such
as GPS equipment, VHF equipment, fishing net, mobile phone and their fish catch were robbed from their fishing boats by the attackers," the CM said in his letter.
Such frequent arrests and attacks made the lives of fishermen, who depend solely on fishing in their traditional waters, highly uncertain and dangerous.
"In 2024 alone, 530 fishermen were arrested and 71 boats have been confiscated till date. The recent apprehensions and attacks have created a sense of fear among the fishing folks who are solely dependent on fishing for their livelihood."
Hence, Stalin batted for concerted steps through diplomatic channels to secure the immediate release of all the arrested fishermen and their fishing boats. "I also request that diplomatic steps may be taken to ensure that such attacks do not occur in future."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
