CM shocked at LTTE killing five fishermen, assures steps

Chennai, Apr 28 (UNI) Expressing shock that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was involved in the killing of five fishermen and abducted 12 fishermen, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said the government would take up the issue with the Centre and initiate steps to secure the release of the fishermen.

Replying to a special call attention motion, the Chief Minsiter said contrary to the initial suspicion that the Sri Lankan Navy had opened fire against the Indian fishermen, inquiries revealed that it was the ''Sea Tigers'', the naval wing of the LTTE, that had fired at the fishing boat off Kanniyakumari coast on March 29, killing five fishermen.

''I inform the House with regret that when all the political parties strongly believed that the Sri Lankan Navy was responsible for the firing, a shocking news has come that the firing was done by the LTTE,'' he said.

The government has also received information that 12 fishermen, who had ventured into sea for fishing on April 4 and went missing since then, were in the safe custody of the Sea Tigers in a LTTE camp, he said and assured that steps would be taken to secure their release.

The Chief Minister said when Mr C Gnanasekaran (Cong), while participating in the debate on the demand for grants for police department, alleged the involvement of the LTTE in some incidents in the state, he had denied in the absence of any authentic information.

''A confirmed information says that 12 missing fishermen are in the custody of the LTTE and the militant organisation was involved in the killing of five fishermen from Kanniyakumari,'' Mr Karunanidhi said.

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