Indian fishermen allege mid-sea attack by Sri Lankan Navy

The fishermen said they were attacked when they were fishing about 16 nautical miles to the southeast of Kodiyakkarai coast. Photograph used for representational purposes only | Photo Credit: MOORTHY M

Three fishermen from Kodiyakkarai near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district were allegedly attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy at sea, early on Friday, December 8, 2023, when they were fishing several nautical miles off the Kodiyakkarai coast.

According to police sources, M. Packirisamy, 40 and S. Rajkumar, 33, both from Vellapallam in Nagapattinam district, and R. Sakthi, 46, from Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district, all staying temporarily in Kodiyakkarai, had ventured into the sea to fish, in a fibreglass boat on Thursday (December 7) afternoon.

When they were fishing mid-sea roughly 16 nautical miles to the southeast of Kodiyakkarai coast, they were allegedly intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy. Two of the Sri Lankan Navy personnel reportedly boarded the boat and assaulted them using ropes, said sources. They also allegedly damaged 15 kg of fishing net, seized 20 kg of crab and a mobile phone from the fishermen, and chased them away.

The fishermen managed to reach the Kodiyakkarai coast on Friday morning. Police sources said none of the fishermen suffered injuries and no complaint has been lodged.

This is the ninth attack on fishers from this regionin the past five months. Nearly 50 fishermen from the coastal areas of Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts have suffered mid-sea attacks. In the previous incidents, they were intercepted, attacked, and robbed of their belongings by unidentified persons suspected to be Sri Lankans.