Chennai,  The Tamil Nadu Mechanized Boat Fishermen Association has called upon the Central and State governments to take up the issue of Sri Lankan Naval personnel regularly "attacking" Indian fishermen near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

 

 

President of the association M. Asan Mohideen, while speaking to IANS, said: "The Sri Lankan Navy is indulging in attacking Indian fishermen and trying to kill them using illegitimate methods. The attack by the Sri Lankan Navy on an Indian fishing boat led to the drowning of a fisherman, Rajkiran, and the Sri Lankan Navy should be held responsible for this."

The association staged protest marches at Kottaipattanam in Pudukottai district on Tuesday evening over the "attack" of the Sri Lankan Navy on an Indian fishing boat.

Mohideen said, "This is not an isolated incident and the Sri Lankan Navy is not opening fire to kill our fishermen but is using other methods to do away with them. The Central government and the Tamil Nadu state government must take up the matter at the highest level in Sri Lanka."

However, the island nation's Navy in a statement on Tuesday said that it had "rescued" two Indian fishermen from a fishing boat that was sinking. It had also stated that the Indian fishermen were poaching in Sri Lankan waters and were clearly inside the Lankan waters of the IMBL.

The Lankan Navy also said that one fisherman had went "missing" during the incident and that the two rescued fishermen were detained at Kankesenthurai in Jaffna.

The Sri Lankan Navy also said that its personnel used to "chase away" the Indian fishing trawlers but one vessel with "aggressive manoeuvers" resisted the chase and advanced, leading to a collision with the Sri Lankan Naval vessel.

Three fishermen, Rajkiran (30), Arockya Xavier (32), and Suganthan (23) of Kottaipattanam in Pudukottai had gone to the sea for fishing on Monday near the IMBL at Katchatheevu and a Sri Lankan Naval vessel intercepted them.

One of the fishermen, Rajkiran fell into the sea, while two others, Suganthan and Arockia Xavier were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the IMBL and poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

M. Chinnakuppan, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Pudukottai while speaking to IANS said, "I have got information that the body of Rajkiran has been recovered from the sea and has been sent to Kankesnethurai in Jaffna for post-mortem."

However Sri Lankan Navy said that the search is on for the missing fisherman.

Meanwhile, at Kottaipattanam, angry fishermen raised slogans against the Sri Lankan Navy and blocked roads.