Govt should take steps to release fishermen

Chennai, Jun 17 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu unit of Communist Party of India (Marxist) today urged the DMK Government to take steps to secure the release of five fishermen, captured by the Sri Lankan Navy and put an end to their attacks on the Tamil fishermen.

Expressing dismay over the frequent attacks on the fishermen by the Lankan Navy, CPI(M) state unit Secretary N Varadarajan, in a letter to Chief Minsiter M Karunanidhi, demanded that adequate compensation be paid to the families of fishermen, who were shot dead by the Navy.

He said the island Navy had abducted fishermen from Rameshwaram and their four country boats when they set out for fishing on May 26. The Lankan Navy had released 18 fishermen and three of their boats on June 12, while five fishermen were still in their custody.

The state government should take immediate steps to secure the release of the five fishermen and their boats, Mr Varadarajan said, and urged the government to take adequate steps to put an end to the atrocities being committed on Indian fishermen and violation of human rights.

He said on June 2, when the Sri Lankan Navy opened fire on fishermen, who ventured into the sea for fishing in their mechanised boats, one fisherman, Sandhyagu was killed.

Pointing out that the Government had paid a compensation of Rs one lakh to his family, Mr Varadarajan said the government was earlier paying a compenstion of Rs five lakh to such vicitms and demanded that it should give a similar compensation to the family of Sandhyagu.

UNI WS GKT AE UCS1759