Sri Lankans attacked TN fishermen: Stalin writes to Jaishankar

Sri Lankans assaulted Indian fishermen, took away their catch and equipment, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin apprised the Centre on Feb. 20 and urged that the matter be taken up with Sri Lanka to ensure action against assailants and prevent recurrence of such attacks. Writing to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Stalin said while fishermen from Nagappattinam in Tamil Nadu were fishing east of Thopputhurai area on February 15, about "10 Sri Lankan nationals in three fishing boats surrounded the Indian fishing boat and beaten our innocent fishermen with iron rod, sticks and knives." The Nagappatinam based country craft sailed with a crew of six. In this attack, one fishermen sustained injuries in head and left hand and other five fishermen sustained internal injuries. The Sri Lankan nationals took away materials worth about Rs 2 lakh including walkie-talkie, GPS equipment, battery and about 200 kg fish. The injured were admitted in Nagapattinam government hospital for treatment. "I am pained to point out that these incidents of attacks by Sri Lankan nationals are getting frequent. Hence, I request that Government of India may take this up with the Sri Lankan Government urgently to restrain and to take stringent action against such elements among the Sri Lankan nationals, so that similar acts of violence are not repeated in future."