Case booked against SL navy

The Marine Police of the Coastal Security Group (CSG) have registered a case against the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly attacking fishermen from Rameswaram on November 21, when they were fishing on the high seas, north off Rameswaram fishing jetty.

A complaint was filed by Rameswaram fisherman A. Varghis, who suffered head injury in the incident. The Sri Lankan navy allegedly attacked the fishermen with iron balls, stones and bottles.

Mandapam Marine police registered a case against the Sri Lankan navy under Sections 427 (causing damage) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) on Monday.

Varghis, who had been in fishing for more than three decades, said in his complaint that they were fishing 25 nautical miles north off, Rameswaram fishing jetty on Saturday night, when the Lankan navy attacked them, hurling iron balls and bottles and caused damage to fishing nets.

Sceptical about the case, U. Arulanandham, president, Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF), said that by registering the case, the police had recorded the attack incident. Many such attack incidents went unnoticed as the fishermen failed to lodge complaints, he said.

Registration of the case in the present attack incident might not help bring the Lankan naval personnel to face trial in an Indian court but would help record the incident and secure compensation to the affected fishermen, he added. (The Hindu)