The body of a spinner dolphin was found washed ashore at Arippu Beach in Silavathurai, Mannar, early today (31), the Department of Wildlife Conservation said. 

Wildlife officials examined the carcass before arranging for a post-mortem examination to be conducted by the Wildlife Veterinary Unit in Kilinochchi. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy has apprehended 26 suspects and seized approximately 60,448 sea cucumbers during a search operation in the coastal waters off Southbar, Mannar.

According to reports, the haul is suspected to have been smuggled illegally into the country. 

Naval personnel from SLNS Gajaba of the North Central Naval Command conducted the operation, arresting the suspects and confiscating the sea cucumbers.

In addition, the Navy seized 12 dinghies used in the illicit activity. The suspects, aged between 21 and 64, are residents of Mannar and Negombo.

The individuals, along with the stock of sea cucumbers and the seized dinghies, have been handed over to the Assistant Directorate of Fisheries in Mannar for legal action. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy has seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 10 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, in the sea area North of Mannar.

According to the Navy, the Indian fishermen were arrested during an operation conducted on Wednesday night (08).

The North Central Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing and trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. 

In response, naval craft of the North Central Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from the island waters off Mannar. 

However, a compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of 01 Indian fishing boat and the apprehension of 10 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat and Indian fishermen have been handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for legal proceedings. (Newswire)

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A 66‑year‑old woman from Mannar has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for allegedly aiding and abetting the disposal of gold jewellery acquired through narcotics trafficking.

Police said the suspect, the mother of the wife of a man accused of smuggling drugs from South India between 2019 and 2023, was taken into custody on Sunday (15).

According to the Police, a person who trafficked narcotics from South India to Sri Lanka from 2019 to 2023 is alleged to have earned money and acquired a two‑storey house, a house with five shops, a motor vehicle, and nearly 360 sovereigns of gold jewellery. It is further alleged that the gold items were pawned and later sold. Based on this complaint, the Police Illegal Assets Investigation Division began an inquiry.

After the suspect was taken into custody, cases were filed in the Mannar High Court regarding the above two houses and the motor vehicle, and orders were obtained to make them inactive. Those orders have been confirmed and extended.

During the extended investigation into the gold items, it was revealed that the suspect’s wife’s mother had pawned the gold at several financial institutions and later sold it to several jewellery shops in the Mannar area.

Accordingly, knowing that the gold items were acquired through illegal activities, pawning and selling them amounts to offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 

In connection with aiding and abetting these offences, the suspect’s wife’s mother was arrested in Mannar last evening.

The suspect is a 66‑year‑old resident of Mannar. Further investigations are being conducted by the Police Illegal Assets Investigation Division. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy has seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended two (02) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, in the seas North of Mannar on Wednesday night (13). 

According to the Navy, the North Central Naval Command had spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing and trespassing into Sri Lankan waters.

In response, naval craft of the North Central Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from the seas off Mannar. 

Meanwhile, a compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of the Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 02 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat and Indian fishermen have been handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Kilinochchi for legal proceedings. (Newswire)

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In line with the Government’s plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the 50-megawatt wind power project being developed by Hayleys Fentons Limited in the Mullikulam area of Mannar was officially launched this morning (15) under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The state-of-the-art wind power plant, which harnesses Mannar’s natural wind potential, will consist of 10 wind turbines and is expected to generate 207 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

Electricity from the project will be supplied at a rate of US cents 4.65 per unit, equivalent to Rs. 14.37, marking a key highlight of the initiative.

The project is scheduled for completion in March 2027. (Newswire)

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The sale, storage, and slaughter of beef, mutton, and pork have been banned in the Mannar District for one week starting December 3, the Public Health Inspectors’ Union of Sri Lanka announced.

The ban follows reports of widespread livestock deaths during the recent disaster, particularly among cattle.

The Union said the measure is aimed at preventing the sale of potentially unsafe meat in local markets.

Public Health Inspectors will monitor for any violations, and the public is urged to report suspected cases to their local PHI or the Health Ministry’s Disaster Management Unit via the 1926 hotline. (Newswire)

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A Dugong dugon was found entangled in a fishing net in the coastal waters of Vidattaltivu, Kattalampiddy, in the Mannar District of the Northern Province on November 11, according to the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Local fishermen who discovered the animal promptly removed the net and released it back into the sea.

The dugong, estimated to weigh between 300–350 kilograms, had been accidentally trapped approximately 4.25 kilometres offshore.

Due to ongoing public awareness efforts by wildlife officers regarding threatened species, the fishermen were able to identify the dugong and take swift action to release it safely, in accordance with proper conservation procedures.

The animal was observed swimming back into the ocean without any external injuries. The owner of the fishing vessel and his crew were involved in this rescue effort.

It is classified as a highly protected marine species under Sri Lanka’s Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. The Dugong dugon species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Sightings of Dugong dugon in Sri Lanka are extremely rare. They are primarily found along the northern and northwestern coastal belt, especially in areas like Mannar and Palk Bay. These regions contain seagrass beds, which serve as the dugong’s main food source, making them ideal habitats. (Newswire)

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The government has decided not to approve any new wind power projects in Mannar beyond the three projects already planned, following concerns raised by residents over environmental and social impacts.

According to the Cabinet paper, three projects were initially planned for Mannar Island — the Thambapavani wind power plant, which began operations in 2021, the 20 MW Windscape Mannar project, and the 50 MW Hayleys Fentons project, scheduled for completion in December 2025 and December 2026 respectively.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has informed the authorities that no further wind projects should be implemented on Mannar Island without the consent of local residents. The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for the Ministry of Power and Energy to take necessary steps in line with this directive. (Newswire)

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A resident of Mannar has been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by Colombo High Court Judge Rashantha Godawela, following a conviction for trafficking ‘ICE’ narcotics.

The sentence was handed down to a 21-year-old youth residing in the Mannar area.

The accused was arrested by police near the Eluthoor Junction in Mannar on November 3, 2022, while transporting the narcotic substance.

Subsequently, the Attorney General filed charges against the accused under the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance No. 1 of 2008.

Delivering the verdict after the trial, the High Court Judge stated that the charges brought against the accused had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Accordingly, the judge declared that the sentence of imprisonment was being imposed on the accused. (Newswire)

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The Feminist Collective for Economic Justice has condemned the recent (26) attack by Police officers on peaceful protestors in Mannar.

Issuing a statement, the Feminist Collective for Economic Justice said for years the people of Mannar have been fighting an inspiring battle against sand mining and the wind power project that threatens to destroy their fragile ecosystem.

Stating that the project has been handed over to a local company under the new government, the Feminist Collective for Economic Justice said there are no assurances that the local company will do anything different from the previous Indian investor in terms of preserving the environment and not harming the people of Mannar. 

The full statement by the Feminist Collective for Economic Justice;

The Feminist Collective for Economic Justice, Sri Lanka, hears the harrowed cries of the birds, the land and the people of Mannar. One of the darkest days of this government has come to pass on the night of September 26th 2025, with the brutal attack by hundreds of police officers on peaceful protestors in Mannar. Many protestors have ended up in hospital, including women and children.

For years, the people of Mannar have been fighting an inspiring battle against sand mining and the wind power project that threatens to destroy their fragile ecosystem. The wind turbines have affected the globally renowned migratory paths of thousands of birds, and sand mining is destroying the coastal ecosystem. The people of Mannar are feeling the social, economic and ecological deterioration caused in the region.

The government appears to be carrying through the plans of the previous regime with cosmetic changes. Having stopped the Indian investor, Adani Company, from setting up a wind power plant in Mannar, the contract has been handed over to a Sri Lankan company, Hayleys Fenton. There are no assurances that the local company will do anything different from the Indian investor in terms of preserving the environment and not harming the people of Mannar. (Newswire)

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A protest march was held in Mannar today against the government’s decision to continue with the proposed wind power project in Mannar Island. 

Carrying slogans and shouting chants, the protesters called on the authorities to refrain from destroying the Mannar Island under the pretext of development.

The protest march culminated with a large-scale protest being held in Mannar Town. 

Several Tamil politicians and civil groups yesterday announced that a hartal will be held in Mannar Town today, in opposition to the proposed wind power project in Mannar and in condemnation of the recent police assault on civilians.

Sunday (28) marked the 57th consecutive day of protest in Mannar against the wind power project. 

Commenting on the hartal, former MP M.A. Sumanthiran said the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) strongly condemns the brutal police assault on protesters and religious leaders in Mannar. (Newswire)

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Residents staged protests in Mannar on Friday night as turbines and other equipment for a proposed wind power plant were transported into the town.

The protesters called for a halt to bringing wind power machinery into Mannar and demanded that construction of the facility on Mannar Island be stopped. They also reiterated their call to end mineral sand mining in the area.

According to police, the Riot Control Unit was deployed to ensure the vehicles carrying the equipment reached the town. Residents claimed police assaulted demonstrators, injuring three people, though police denied using force, saying they only intervened to control the situation.

Friday marked the 55th consecutive day of protests in central Mannar against the project. Demonstrators said the wind power plant would worsen flooding during the rainy season by blocking water flow in the town.

Religious leaders and civil society groups from Mannar had previously met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Aug. 13 to discuss concerns. The president had promised to reconsider the project, but residents said no action has been taken. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy prevented a smuggling racket involving 91 birds during a search operation conducted in the vicinity of the Sirithoppuwa beach in Mannar this week (10 Sept).

According to the Navy, 02 suspects were arrested, and a dinghy used for this illegal act was taken into custody.

After detecting a suspicious dinghy, the Naval Detachment of Pesalai under SLNS Gajaba in the North Central Naval Command launched a search operation in the beach vicinity. 

During the operation, naval personnel seized the suspicious dinghy with 72 pigeons and 19 game fowls.

The suspects arrested in this operation were identified as residents of Pesalai and Mannar, aged 17 and 52. 

The suspects, together with the birds and the dinghy, were handed over to the Pesalai Police for legal action. (Newswire)

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Dismissing claims that wind power projects in Mannar pose a threat to birds and wildlife, Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody described the area as stale land.

According to the Sunday Observer, the minister said claims of a threat to birds in the area were unfounded. 

Revealing he had visited the area, Minister Jayakody said there was no evidence to support the claims, adding that from Mannar to the north of Pooneryn was just stale land.

He pointed out that certain factions in society have painted Mannar as a “paradise” that would be devastated by wind turbines.

He said that the stretch from Mannar to the north of Pooneryn was barren land, and although people talked about birds, there were none along that route. (Newswire)

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Two children, aged 15 and 04, have died in two separate road accidents reported in the Mannar and Kataragama areas on Thursday. 

A 04-year-old boy was reported dead after the motorcycle he was travelling on collided with a pickup truck in the Murungkan area on Thursday afternoon. 

The Police said the accident had occurred when the child was travelling on the motorcycle with his father, mother, and sister.

The family of four, which had sustained injuries, had been admitted to the Mannara Hospital, where one child had succumbed to injuries. 

The driver of the pickup truck has been arrested in connection with the accident. The Mannar Police is conducting investigations. 

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy was reported dead after a three-wheeler collided with a lorry on the Gonagangaara-Kataragama road on Thursday morning.

A man, his wife, and two children who were travelling in the three-wheeler had sustained injuries in the accident and had been admitted to Kataragama Hospital. One child, a resident of Bibile, had succumbed to injuries at the hospital. 

The driver of the lorry has been arrested in connection with the accident. The Kataragama Police is conducting investigations. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said extensive discussions on the Sri Lanka–India fishing issue were held during the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at an election rally in Mannar, the President emphasized the district’s strategic significance.

“Mannar represents a region of strategic importance for our nation’s development. This coastal district boasts not only natural beauty but also abundant valuable resources that contribute to our national prosperity,” he said, adding that the fishing industry is the primary livelihood for much of the local population.

He raised concerns over unauthorized fishing activities in the Pesalai area, stating that illegal vessels were causing significant damage to the marine ecosystem.

“We have identified concerning instances of unauthorized fishing operations in the Pesalai area, where illegal vessels are causing substantial harm to our marine ecosystem. During the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister, we held extensive discussions in this regard,” he said.

The President affirmed that Sri Lanka’s marine resources belong to its people and that the government is taking active measures to address the issue. “Our seas and marine resources rightfully belong to our people. Therefore, we are taking active steps to resolve this issue.”

He added that the Sri Lanka Navy has been directed to take firm action against illegal activities in the country’s territorial waters.

“It is the responsibility of our armed forces to protect our maritime resources, and we are committed to fulfilling that duty,” he said.

The longstanding fishing dispute between Sri Lanka and India, particularly involving Indian trawlers crossing into Sri Lankan waters, has been a source of tension between the two countries. 

Both the Sri Lankan and Indian governments said that the matter was taken up for discussion during Premier Modi’s visit earlier this month, but did not disclose further details. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy seized a stock of smuggled cosmetic products during a search operation in the Kiranchi sea area, north of Mannar, on April 16.

The operation was carried out by the Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) of SLNS Buwaneka, under the North Central Naval Command. Navy personnel recovered two suspicious floating parcels, which were found to contain 3,200 sachet shampoo packets, 376 cosmetic creams, 75 soap bars, and several other items.

Authorities suspect the items were abandoned by smugglers in response to increased naval patrols in the region. The seized goods have been handed over to the Jayapuram Police for further legal action. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that discussions have been held on environmental concerns, and the government now hopes to connect Mannar and Puttalam through an alternative and new approach through the road currently under construction.

The President pointed out that opening this route would reduce the distance to Puttalam by approximately 90 km.

“You’re the ones who are familiar with this area. That’s why we will not allow destructive projects that harm the environment. Every project must be carried out with public consent and with minimal environmental damage. You know that the road between Mannar and Puttalam has been closed for a long time. Reopening it will reduce the distance to Puttalam by about 90 km. We are now exploring new ways to connect Mannar and Puttalam with alternative proposals while considering environmental concerns,” he said.

President Dissanayake further stated that it is the duty of the government to provide convenience to the people and not to burden them or trap them in problems.

“That is why we have built a government that listens to the people and works for the people,” he added. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says discussions are being planned with the Government of India regarding the ferry service between Mannar in Sri Lanka and Rameswaram in India.

President Dissanayake said that the discussions are focused on expediting the launch of the passenger ferry service.

He made the remarks while speaking in Mannar.  

In November last year, it was reported that passenger ferry services between Rameswaram and Talaimannar would be revived soon.

According to Indian media, News Today, ferry services between Rameswaram and Talaimannar were operational from 1914 until 1964, when they were suspended following the cyclone that hit Dhanushkodi. 

After a brief resumption from 1969 to 1984, the service was again halted due to security concerns arising from the civil conflict in Sri Lanka. 

India’s central government suspended ferry operations in 1984, and they have remained closed for the past 42 years. (Newswire)

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