Groups of fishermen from Rameswaram were attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel using bottles and stones early on Tuesday while fishing near Dhanushkodi, resulting in injuries to some and damage to their gear, a fishermen association leader alleged. While fishermen who ventured into the sea on Monday morning onboard 400 boats returned by night after being chased away by Lankan naval personnel, groups that were on their way back home later came under attack, local fishermen association president P Sesuraja told reporters in Rameswaram.
Political parties, including MDMK, condemned the 'attack' in Dhanushkodi area in Indian waters that came close on the heels of more than 4,000 fishermen being driven away by the Lankan navy on October 17 while fishing near Katchatheevu. These incidents came after a lull in the mid-sea attacks on Indian fishermen for over three months, Sesuraja said.
Fisheries department Assistant Director Rajendran and police officials said they were looking into the complaint of alleged attack on the fishermen. Sesuraja alleged the Lankan Navy pelted stones and flung glass bottles at fishermen injuring one 'seriously' while several others also suffered wounds.
Their fishing nets and accessories were also damaged by the personnel, he claimed. MDMK general secretary Vaiko alleged a fisherman suffered head injury and many sustained 'bleeding injuries' and hundreds of fishing nets were cut by Lankan naval personnel.
India did not even lodge a strong protest with Lanka and it was anguishing, he charged. The root cause of the problem was 'ceding' Katchatheevu islet to Sri Lanka, Vaiko, a Rajya Sabha MP, said adding, "I urge the Centre to take appropriate steps to retrieve it." Katchatheevu was ceded by India to Sri Lanka in the 1970s and political parties and others have been demanding that it be taken back.
PMK founder leader S Ramadoss condemned the attack adding it was a 'transgression' by Lanka and wanted the Centre to lodge a strong protest with the island nation's envoy to India. "The state and the central government should not tolerate the attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan forces," he said.
Read all the Latest News and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment