Fishermen killing: India to take up issue with Lankan Govt.

Chennai, Jan 23 (ANI): A day after another Indian fisherman was killed off the Tamil Nadu coast near the village of Pushvavanam, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, expressing concern over the issue, on Sunday said he would take up the issue with Colombo.

Mukherjee, who met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, here today and discussed the issue of safety of fishermen along the state's coast.

"I have discussed the killing of the Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy with CM Karunanidhi. In the last ten days two people were killed, which has worried the chief minister. There is no justification in killing the people. If they have done nothing wrong, then they could have arrested the fishermen as there is a procedure for resolving this," said Mukherjee.

"I have assured the CM that I will discuss this through the foreign ministry with Sri Lankan authorities so that such incidents are not repeated," he added.

The Finance Minister further asked the defence force of that country not to open fire on the Indian fishermen but apprehend them if they had done something wrong.

Earlier on Saturday, the Sri Lankan Navy killed 26-year-old Jai Prakash off the Tamil Nadu coast near the village of Pushvavanam. (ANI)