Two Indian fishermen sustain injuries after Sri Lankan navy opens fire

Two of the 13 fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan navy on Tuesday sustained injuries when the navy opened fire after the fishermen tried to evade arrest, a top Puducherry government official said. One of the two injured fishermen hailed from Karaikal while another is from Tamilnadu, the official told PTI.

Both the fishermen were hospitalised in Jaffna and their condition is stable, the official said. The remaining fishermen were taken into custody, the official added.

The Sri Lankan navy arrested the 13 fishermen after they allegedly crossed the International Maritime Boundary and were fishing in the territorial waters of the island nation. The mechanized vessel the fishermen had used was also allegedly seized by the navy.


Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Puducherry N Rangasamy wrote to the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar requesting him to take appropriate steps on priority with the Government of Sri Lanka for the release of all the arrested fishermen, a release from office of the Chief Minister said.

Rangasamy stated in his letter that six fishermen from Karaikal (an enclave of Puducherry) and seven from Tamilnadu had been taken into custody by the Sri Lankan navy.