17 fishermen hurt in Lankan navy attack

RAMANATHAPURAM: Seventeen fishermen from Rameswaram were injured when Sri Lankan Navy personnel attacked them on Saturday near Katchatheevu. In the mid-sea attack, Mathiyazhagan (36), a fisherman,  sustained a fracture in his left hand when the Lankan Navy personnel assaulted him with a wooden log. Around 614 mechanised boats had ventured into the sea from here on Saturday for fishing. Fishermen in the boats were netting their catch near Katchatheevu when a group of Lankan Navy vessels surrounded the Indian boats.The Lankan Navy personnel then reportedly hurled empty bottles and stones on the Indian boats apparently  to chase them away from the area. They also reportedly cut the fishing nets and seized the catch and GPS equipment from some of the boats. A group of Lankan Navy personnel also boarded Mathiyazhagan’s boat and attacked him. They also attacked other fishermen. The fishermen later returned to the shore and Mathiyazhagan was rushed to the government hospital at Rameswaram, while other injured fishermen were treated as outpatients there.  However, no complaint was lodged with police and the Fisheries Department until late on Sunday evening.It may be recalled that  22 Indian fishermen were abducted by the Lankan Navy personnel for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line on February 28. The state government had then intervened and pushed for their early release. Before it, nine fishermen were abducted by Lankan Navy personnel during February.