Tamil Nadu fishermen assaulted, driven naked by Sri Lanka Navy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 September 2009, 17:34 GMT]
Twenty-four fishermen from Keechchaangkuppam in Naakarkoayil area in Tamil Nadu, fishing in Kanniyaakumari seas in five boats Friday night, were brutally assaulted and cast naked in the seas by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers, sources in Naakarkoayil said. SLN soldiers had beaten the fishermen on their heads with the ice blocks taken by the fishermen to preserve their catch, the sources added. Fishermen in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu saved the 24 fishermen who managed to swim ashore Saturday morning and admitted them in the local hospital, the sources further said.

The SLN soldiers had threatened to open fire on the fishermen, driving them into the sea, the sources said.

Their clothes, fishing nets, outboard motors, ice knives and the fish they had caught had all been confiscated by the SLN soldiers, the fishermen said.

Tension prevails among the fishermen in the coast of Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu fishermen had just called off their continued boycott of fishing demanding Tamil Nadu government to take action against SLN for shooting fishermen from Tamil Nadu side of the seas.

Their fellow fishermen being assaulted and driven naked has aroused the fury of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Colombo government is encouraged by the appeasement policy of Karunanidhi government of Tamil Nadu 'not to anger the Sinhalese', commented fishermen circles in Tamil Nadu.