Sri Lankan Navy damage boats, chase away fishermen

“The fishermen from Rameswaram had put out to sea in 583 mechanised boats on Wednesday and were fishing near Katchatheevu, when the island nation navy personnel rounded up 50 boats and snapped the fishing nets and asked all the fishermen to return,” Rameswaram Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja said. They also warned them against fishing near Katchatheevu, following which all of them returned to the shores early on Thursday morning, he said. The fishermen alleged that the Sri Lankan Naval crafts deliberately rammed few fishing boats. The boats suffered mild damage in the attack, Sesuraja said. Sesuraja urged the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu, so that fishermen could fish in their traditional areas. On December 10, more than 2500 fishermen from this island town were allegedly chased away by the Lankan Navy for fishing off Katchatheevu.