Chennai , Jan 26 (BPNS)
In an attack by a group of Sri Lankan assailants, four Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were injured grievously on Tuesday evening. The fishermen from Nagapattinam Ariyanaatutheru fishing hamlet were fishing in a motorboat at about 15 km from Kodiyakarai (Point Calimere) when they were attacked by unidentified assailants.
The assailants, according to the Tamil Nadu fishermen were Sri Lankans and they confronted the fishermen and asked them to hand over their catch and their fishing nets and when they refused were attacked.
The Tamil Nadu fishers complained that they were brutally attacked using lethal weapons and they were outnumbered as there were eight assailants in two boats who had attacked them.
K. Vasanthabalan( 24) was grievously injured in his left arm while M. Manikantan (25), S. Nirmal (23), and K. Thalainathan (23) were inflicted injuries on the head and stomach.
The assailants took the batteries, inverters, fishing nets, lights, and their catch, the fishermen complained.
The fishermen reached back to Nagapattinam by late-night and since the injuries were grave they were referred to Government Medical College Hospital, Tiruvarur, and Government General hospital in Nagapattinam.
A criminal case has been registered at the Vedarnyam Marine Police station against unidentified assailants from Sri Lanka.
This is the fourth attack against Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankans and the third this week. On Monday also eleven fishermen from Pushpavanam village were attacked by Sri Lankan assailants in two attacks.
It may be noted that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the Government of India has already taken up diplomatic discussions with the Sri Lankan government over the continuous attack by the Sri Lankan Navy against Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu.
The Sri Lankan fisheries and aquatic department have already announced the auction of 105 fishing boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy from Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu for crossing the International Marine Boundary Line (IMBL). The auction is to take place in February 2022.
55 Indian fishermen are in Sri Lankan jails for crossing the Indian Marine Boundary Line (IMBL).
