Sun, Mar 25, 2012, 09:22 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Mar 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy has denied the Indian media reports that its personnel have been engaged in yet another attack on Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu.
Indian media reported that six fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam district who set out to sea on March 20 have come under the latest alleged attack by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).
The fishermen have claimed that the Sri Lankan Navy personnel attacked them on March 23 while they were fishing in a mechanized boat about 35 nautical miles off Kodikkarai coast in Palk Straits.
According to the officials, the fishermen had alleged that the Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrived in a speed vessel and surrounded their boat and attacked them before snatching away their GPS instrument, navigation and communication tools.
The fishermen have further alleged the Navy personnel of damaging their fishing nets and throwing away their food packets and other valuables into the sea.
They have also alleged that the navy personnel tore the Indian flag mounted on the boat.
However, the fishermen have managed to reach the shore and lodged a complaint with coastal security police and fisheries authorities.
Tamil Nadu fishermen constantly allege that Sri Lankan naval personnel attack them when they were fishing in their waters near the maritime boundary line.
However, the Sri Lankan Navy denies any attacks by its personnel on Indian fishermen.
Sri Lanka Navy says it conducts routine patrols and apprehends poachers detected illegally fishing in Sri Lankan Waters in order to protect the country's fisheries resources.