SL Navy steps up attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 August 2012, 23:45 GMT]
A Tamil Nadu fisherman was seriously injured after he was beaten up by the Sri Lanka Navy that had surrounded three boats near Kachchatheevu and took 16 fishermen to Neduntheevu on Monday. All the fishermen had been assaulted by the SL Navy and released on Tuesday. In the meantime, at another attack by the SL Navy on 6 fishermen from Ma'ndapam, one sustained head injuries, Press Trust of India reported on Tuesday.

A large number of fishermen from Rameasvaram were in the seas in more than 600 boats on Monday when the Sri Lankan Navy took three of the boats with the crew into their custody and assaulted the fishermen.

The SLN had also robbed away the catch netted by some fishermen on Sunday near Kachchatheevu, the report further said. On the same day, 8 fishermen from Veathara'nyam sustained injuries in a separate attack.

The attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen have been stepped up amidst repeated complaints from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to the New Delhi Establishment seeking immediate action against the Sri Lankan State.