Sri Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire on fishermen from Tamil Nadu and destroyed a boat while they were fishing in the Indian territorial waters.

According to the Fisheries Department officials, Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrived in intercepter boats and opened fire on Monday night. They completely damaged one boat, beat up the fishermen and took away the fish and nets.

They said the group of 12 fishermen from Kodiakarai, Vedaranyam and Pushpavanam areas had ventured into the sea on February 11 in three boats.

The attack took place when they were fishing in the Indian waters, a few kilometres off Kodiakarai, they said.

All the fishermen returned to Kodiakarai early on Tuesday in two boats, leaving behind the damaged boat.

On receiving a complaint from the fishermen, the Fisheries Department has initiated a probe into the incident.

In a similar incident, Sri Lankan Navy had opened fire on four fishermen from Kodiakarai on February 2.