Another report of assault of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan official came into limelight last week when Sri Lankan Naval Personnel stripped a group of fishermen form Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. The official allegedly beat them up and forced them to do sit-ups, after damaging their fishing nets at mid-sea, in the wee hours of Sunday. After this incident the fishermen hurriedly returned to Rameswaram jetty and narrated their tale of woe to the officials of Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department.
According to the fishermen nearly 670 mechanized fishing trawlers set sail into the sea for fishing on Saturday morning. Suddenly the Sri Lankan naval patrol vessels had intercepted a group of 13 fishing trawlers near the controversial Katchatheevu Island. The fishermen exposed how the Lankan naval men allegedly boarded the boats, stripped the fishermen of clothes and forced them to do sit-ups ‘in a semi-nude’ condition for nearly two hours.
They further said that they were beaten up severely and their fishing nets damaged by the naval personnel, who also seized the fish catches. The Naval Personnel also threatened the fishermen at gunpoint not to venture into Sri Lankan territorial waters. The fishermen estimated the loss at around Rs 15 lakh. The incident has triggered resentment among the fishing folk in the island town of Rameswaram.
