In an interview with the BBC Tamil Service, the spokesman for Indian Navy P.V. Satish said, "two coastguards were rescued unharmed" after an incident in the sea East of Chennai.

A group of Sri Lankan fishermen took two Indian coast guards hostage on Thursday when coast guards had attempted to apprehend them while fishing inside indian territorial waters.

Deputy Fisheries Minister Neomal Perera told media that seven boats with Sri Lankan fishermen were surrounded by Indian coast guards.

Fishermen arrested

When two coast guards boarded one of the boats the Sri Lankan fishermen on it had taken them hostage forcibly taking their weapons.

Indian coast guard reinforcements later surrounded the Sri Lankan fishing boats and managed to arrest them.

However, the standoff with the fishermen holding two coast guards hostage continued till late morning on Thursday, the Deputy Minister said.

When contacted a Sri Lankan Navy spokesman said they were informed by the Indian Navy that a group of Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested.