Lankan navy cut fishing nets of Tamil Nadu fishermen

Sri Lankan Naval personnel allegedly threatened Tamil Nadu fishermen and cut the fishing nets of eight boats while they were fishing near Katchatheevu, a functionary of the local fishermen organisation said on Sunday. They also reportedly threw stones at some boats and threatened the fishermen not to fish there, S Emerite, president of Rameswaram fishermen organisation said.

He said 424 mechanised boats had ventured into the sea from here and were fishing near Katchatheevu last night when the Lankan navy arrived.

The navy personnel allegedly cut the nets of eight boats and threw them into the sea following which they returned to the shore without their catch, he added.

Katchatheevu, an islet in the Palk strait, was ceded to Sri Lanka under the Indo-Lanka accord in 1976.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been pressing the Centre to intervene and personally take up the issue of frequent arrests and alleged attacks on fishermen with Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.