TN fishing boat sunk allegedly by Sri Lankan fishermen

Sri Lankan fishermen hurled allegedly petrol bombs at some fishing boats in the presence of Lankan naval personnel, sinking one of them while another narrowly escaped at Katchatheevu in the Palk straits, a fisherman's body said in Rameswaram on Thursday.

N Devadoss, Rameswaram Fisherman's Association President, alleged that the attack was carried out in the presence of Sri Lankan naval personnel, who damaged 20 other boats by pelting stones and other objects.

He said fishermen had clarified that the petrol bomb attack was carried out by fishermen of the island nation and not by the Sri Lankan naval personnel.

Police said a complaint had been registered stating that a boat owned by one Arumugam was sunk in the attack while the other boat escaped from the scene and that the Lankan naval personnel had damaged 20 boats.

Fisheries department officials said the fishermen, who had put out to sea from here, came under attack around midnight on Wednesday night.

The incident comes close on the heels of the March 10 attack allegedly by Sri Lankan Naval personnel in which 16 fishermen were injured.

India then had asked its mission in Colombo to take up the issue of attacks on fishermen with authorities in Sri Lanka.

Devadoss condemned the latest attack and demanded that External Affairs Minister S M Krishna take the issue up with the United Nations and lodge a strong protest.