Police officer remanded for harassing Indian fishermen

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 June 2002, 16:42 GMT]
The Mannar District Judge Monday remanded a Sinhalese police officer for allegedly harassing Indian fishermen, robbing their catch and threatening them with death in the mid sea.

According to investigations conducted so far the suspected police officer with the help of some local residents had been harassing Indian fishermen who fish in Pesalai for a long time, police sources said. Six residents of Pesalai were also remanded, the sources said.

On a complaint by Indian fishermen, the suspects were arrested Sunday by Sri Lanka Navy personnel when they were on the their routine patrol in the Pesalai sea, the sources said.

The suspects and 225 kg prawn they robbed from the Indian fishermen were later handed over to the Mannar Police.

The District Judge Mr.M.P.Mohideen ordered that the suspects be remanded till June 21.

He directed the Police to destroy about 225 kg of prawn, allegedly robbed from the Indian fishermen by the suspects.