Sri Lanka Navy personnel sink boat of TN fishermen, chase them away

Rameswaram: A group of Indian fishermen were allegedly attacked by Sri Lankan Navy personnel when they were fishing near the island nation's waters and a boat was sunk following a collision, a senior Fisheries department official said here.

As many as seven fishermen who were in the boat fell into the water following the collision with the Lankan Navy vessel near Katchatheevu, the official said.

The Lankan Navy personnel also cut the nets of the Indian fishermen and chased them away, the Fisheries department official said and alleged that they (Lankan Navy men) did not even bother to try and rescue the fishers who fell into the water.

"Apart from sinking the boat, the Lankan navy did not evince any interest to check the plight of the fishermen on board. They not only cut our fishing nets but also chased us away," a fisherman, belonging to the All Mechanised Fishermen Association, said.

The fishermen had set out to the sea from Rameswaram in 569 trawlers on Wednesday evening. However, they returned to the Rameswaram coast in the wee hours of today after being chased away by the Lankan naval personnel and complained to the fisheries department officials.

Ramanathapuram MP K Navas Kani, urged the Centre to take up the issue of attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen with the Sri Lanka government and also sought compensation for the loss of the fishing equipment.