SLN arrests, assaults 7 Mannar fishermen

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 December 2005, 20:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested seven Tamil fishermen Thursday morning when they were returning to the shore after night-fishing. They are being detained at the Sunny village Naval Camp in Mannar, sources said. Medical officers at the Mannar hospital said the fishermen were brought to the General hospital in the evening for medical examination, and confirmed that all seven had assault injuries.

The SLN officers had earlier assured the Mannar Bishop that the fishermen would be handed over to the Mannar Police, Thursday evening at 7 p.m.

Mannar Bishop had brought to the notice of the SLN and Police that the detained fishermen have no connection with Thursday's firefight in the Mannar sea.

Relatives of these fishermen are now keeping vigil in front of the Mannar police station, accompanied by Mannar Parish Priest Rev.Fr.Gnanapiragasam, expecting that the fishermen would be brought to Mannar Police Station, sources said.

Of the seven, S.A.Calistus (15), S.Stanilaus (11), S.A.Roge (17) and Immanuel Arokianathan (18-student) are from Pallimunai. The other three are from Jaffna district and their names have not been released, sources said.