Tamil Nadu Coastal police have launched an investigation into the alleged assault of 12 TN and Puducherry fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy near Kodiyakarai. The fishermen after the alleged attack returned from their coast on Wednesday.
According to a report on IANS, the 12 fishermen were identified as five fishermen from Mayiladuthurai and Karaikal each, two fishermen from Nagapattinam. All the 12 fishermen ventured into the sea from Karaikal fishing harbour in a mechanised boat on Monday.
According to sources, the state coastal police will investigate whether the Sri Lankan navy had crossed into the Indian waters and assaulted the fishermen, the report said.
A fisherman from Karaikal, Ivas, who was on board the boat said, "The Sri Lankan Naval officers chased us while we were fishing near Kodikkarai. The Sri Lankan Naval officers chased us and entered our boat and started assaulting us. They had even taken away our catch and our mobile phones."
Bhaktavalsalam, fishermen association leader of Mayiladuthurai, told IANS, "This has now become a routine, on and off our fishermen are being attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy. They are assaulting our men and have robbed them of their catch. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin must immediately take this up with the Prime Minister and work out a permanent solution to this."
The fishermen's associations have been stating that the attack on Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy has been on the rise even after the protests. The association members also sought the intervention of the Central government so that Tamil Nadu fishermen could peacefully venture into the sea.
However, the instances continue even after TN CM Stalin attempted to draw the attention of PM Modi and the Union External Affairs Minister into the issue.