Rameswaram: Fishermen of Rameswaram along with their kin continued their protest at Thangachimadam on the second day on Wednesday, declining to receive the body of the deceased fisherman, 20-year-old Brijo, allegedly killed in firing by the Sri Lankan Navy in the mid-sea on Monday night, and demanded the immediate arrest of the Navy personnel responsible for the death of the Tamil Nadu fisherman.
A large gathering of about 2,000 people congregated again at Thangachimadam, insisting that a permanent solution should be found to the fishermen's attack issue and until then India “sever its diplomatic ties with Colombo”.
Youth, members of the public and representatives of various political parties expressed solidarity with the fishers' protest. Prominent among the political leaders who visited the protest venue today included the AIADMK's Ramanathapuram MP, Mr Anwar Raja, the TNCC president, Su. Thirunavukkarasar, and the TMC president G.K.Vasan. There was brief commotion at the venue when some youth, turning emotive, sought to physically prevent some of the political representatives to come into the protest venue. Even as Mr. Anwar Raja, along with senior district administration officials held talks with the representatives of the fishermen-protesters, assuring them they would take up the issue with the Centre again, the agitators declined to call off their protest today.
Meanwhile, in a spot gesture to reassure the fishermen community, the Congress leader, Su. Thirunavukkarasar announced at the venue that he would bear the college education expenses of Stephen, brother of the deceased fisherman Briju.
One of the fishermen survivors from the boat involved in the shooting episode, 26-year-old Saron, recalled that when the Sri Lankan Navy personnel had in fact fired at them after “entering Indian waters”, the hapless fishermen had sent an SOS to the Indian Coast Guard officials (ICG) through the emergency number given to the fishers. But “It was the lack of a swift response from the ICG which resulted in the death of one of our brothers,” added Saron, with tears welling up in his eyes.
