Indian fishermen attacked by Lankan Navy

Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Oct 9: Notwithstanding assurances given to the Indian Government, the Sri Lankan Navy attacked several Indian fishermen, the third-of-its-kind in a fortnight and damaged Global Positioning System (GPS), fishing nets and ice boxes in the Palk Straits early today.

Official sources quoting fishermen said here today that about 470 mechanized fishing boats had ventured into sea for fishing from the Island town of Rameswaram yesterday.

While, a group was fishing near Palk Strait, a Sri Lankan Naval Vessel surrounded the fishing trawlers at gunpoint.

The Sri Lankan sailors boarded the Indian trawlers and attacked the fishermen with gun buts and iron bars.

They damaged the GPS, fishing nets and ice boxes kept in the trawlers and threatened the fishermen to vacate the area immediately. They also warned the fishermen of dire consequences, if they crossed the IMBL and tresspassed into Sri Lankan territorial waters.

Soon after the attack, several fishing boats rushed to the Rameswaram Coast and narrated their tale to the Fishing Department officials.

Several fishermen were reportedly injured in the attack.One of the injured was admitted to the government hospital here.

The Sri Lankan Navy had allegedly shot dead a fisherman hailing from Madurai District of Tamil Nadu on September 28.

Tense situation was prevailing in the coastal hamlets in the island town of Rameswaram after the incident.

UNI