By IANS
Rameshwaram : A group of fishermen from this Tamil Nadu town has been attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy, resulting in serious injuries to four of them, an official said Sunday.
“The attack was carried out by 14 Lankan Naval personnel near Kachchatheevu when 40 fishermen were fishing along the International Maritime Boundary Line Saturday,” an official told reporters here, quoting the fishermen.
“After beating the fishermen with sticks, the defence personnel from the island seized their catch and nets worth Rs.500,000 and warned them against further fishing Saturday night,” officials informed reporters.
A fishing craft owner present during the briefing revealed that he was part of the group that was assaulted and added that the Lankan Navy threatened them with arrests if they returned.
However, all the 725 boats that had been put out to sea returned safely.
The island’s navy had opened fire on Indian fishermen’s boats on Oct 18 off the Nagappattinam coast damaging a vessel. No one was hurt in the incident.
Five days before that, three fishermen were injured in a similar attack.
The Lankan Deputy High Commission, which had issued denials about the earlier incidents, was unavailable for comment.