India summons SL envoy

13 January 2011 11:33 am

The Indian government summoned Sri Lankan High Commissioner in New Delhi Prasad Kariyawasam and asked for an explanation on the shooting incident, where an Indian fisherman was allegedly killed in the high seas.

According to Indian media reports it emphasized that firing in such situations has no justification and had called on the Sri Lankan authorities to desist from use of force. India has asked Sri Lanka to adhere to the October 2008 understanding reached between the two governments and called on the Sri Lankan Navy to exercise maximum restraint and avoid use of force in such situations.

However, the Sri Lankan Navy has denied that they had fired and said they were assisting the fishermen to return into Indian waters.

It was reported on Wednesday that the Sri Lankan Navy opened fire on Indian fishermen in the Indian Ocean killing one and critically injuring another.

The firing reportedly occurred as the Lankans believed the fisherman were trespassing. But it is not clear whether the fisherman were in Indian territorial waters or in Lanka's, reports said.