Unknown persons set fire and completely burnt four fishing boats of Tamil inland fishermen at Thannimurippu tank in Mullaitivu on the night of 20 August, correspondents report.
The incident comes two weeks after Muslim and Tamil people captured 38 Sinhalese who were illegally fishing in the tank and handed them over to Oddusudan police.
Nine of them escaped from police custody, while 17 Tamil and Muslim fishermen who captured the poachers too, got themselves arrested.
On the following day, a protest in front of the district secretariat called for protection of their fishing rights.
All the arrested have been remanded by courts.
A district development committee has given fishing rights at Thannimurippu exclusively for Tamils and Muslims.
