About 800 Indian fishermen who went fishing near the International Maritime Boundary Line Katchatheevu had to return after Sri Lankan naval personnel allegedly pelted stones at them, official sources said in Rameshwaram on Thursday.
The naval personnel in five boats surrounded the boats of the fishermen and pelted stones at them, forcing them to leave the area without fishing on Wednesday night, the sources said.
The fishermen escaped without getting hurt by ducking in their boats, the sources said.
Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974.