Chennai, Feb 23 (Reporter) Observing that arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in recent times, Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Sunday wrote to External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar reiterating his earlier request to convene the Joint Working Group (JWG) to find a permanent solution and take strong diplomatic steps to secure the release of all the arrested fishermen and their boats from Lankan custody. In a Demi-Official letter to Dr Jaishankar, copies of which were released to the press, he said the arrests of fishermen from the State by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in recent times and was still continuing in large numbers despite his repeated pleas to prevail upon the Lankan government to prevent them. "I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish as the number of incidents of apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in the recent times", he said. In the latest incident, 32 fishermen, who had ventured for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on Saturday, have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday along with their five mechanised fishing boats. "The apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are still continuing in large numbers inspite of my repeated requests to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government to prevent such arrests", he said. Mr Stalin said in this year alone, 119 fishermen and 16 boats have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy in eight separate incidents. "Hence, I once again reiterate my earlier request to convene the Joint Working Group immediately to find a permanent solution to this long pending issue", he added. "This is especially crucial since the livelihoods of our fishermen families are impacted severely, due to these apprehensions", he said. In view of the above, I request you to take strong diplomatic efforts to prevent the arrests of our fishermen and to secure the release of all the apprehended fishermen and their fishing boats from the Sri Lankan authorities at the earliest", he added...////...