30 TN fishermen injured in Lankan Navy 'attack'

Thirty Indian fishermen were injured when they were attacked at mid-sea off Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, allegedly by Sri Lankan naval personnel, and their catch was taken away.

Fisheries department officials said three Sri Lankan naval boats surrounded the fishermen while they were fishing in mid-sea on Monday night and beat them up, injuring 30 of them, besides damaging their boats by throwing stones. Nets of 20 boats were snapped and thrown into the sea and the naval personnel took away almost all their catch, they said.

Officials and fishermen association president Sesuraja Emerit alleged that the Lankan Navy has violated all human rights laws when they attacked the boats.

"The naval personnel robbed almost all the catch and the fishermen had to return empty handed," he said.