Sri Lankan navy chase away 3,500 Indian fishermen damage nets

On Tuesday, the Sri Lankan Navy chased away atleast 3,500 fishermen and damaged their boats for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters off the Katchatheevu islet.

The fishermen from Mandapam and this island town had ventured into the sea in 680 boats on Monday and were fishing near Katchatheevu when the Lankan Navy personnel came to the spot and asked them to leave, Rameswaram Fishermen Association president P Sesuraja said.

The naval personnel also hurled stones at the fishermen and cut the fishing nets of 50 boats, following which all the fishermen returned to the shore this morning, he said, while seeking the Centre's intervention to put an end to the recurring attacks on them.