Fishermen in Ramanathapuram have alleged that they were attacked by Sri Lankan navy personnel in the sea off Rameswaram coast in the wee hours of Sunday. One person was injured and several boats were damaged in the attack, fishermen who returned to the shore alleged.

The fishermen had ventured out into the sea from Rameswaram on Saturday morning in over 600 boats. They had cast their nets near Katchatheevu island in the wee hours of Sunday and were waiting when Sri Lankan navy personnel arrived in speed boats. They surrounded the Indian fishermen and started pelting stones. Soon, the Lankan boats surrounded the fishermen and blocked their vessels from fleeing. The Lankans then jumped on to the boats of the Indian fishermen and started vandalising them with wooden clubs, the fishermen told the police.

One of the fishermen, Mahendran, suffered a severe cut in the abdomen from a broken glass piece. Mahendran was rushed to the government hospital at Rameswaram soon after the fishermen reached the coast. "The navy personnel had deliberately brought loads of stones in their vessels with the sole purpose of throwing at us. There is no justification in their attack as we were fishing well within the Indian side of the international maritime boundary," said S. Ambrose from Thangachimadam.

Fishermen claimed that attacks by Sri Lankan naval personnel have become a regular affair in recent times. "We have been suffering from these attacks for several years. But the frequency has increased of late, despite the state government demanding the Centre to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop them," said Rajendran Nattar, a community leader.

The frequent attacks on people, boats and nets have increased fear among the fishing community and have seriously affected their livelihood, said Nattar. A similar incident was reported by Rameswaram fishermen a few days ago. (Source: Times of India)