NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, AUG 1
A Rameswaram fisherman died and another went missing, while two of their crew members were arrested by Sri Lanka’s navy personnel following their boat being allegedly struck by a Sri Lankan navy patrol vessel five nautical miles north of Katchatheevu Island on Wednesday, the Indian external affairs ministry said.
There were a total of four fishermen aboard the Indian boat. Of the four, two of them were rescued and brought ashore to Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka. A search operation is underway for the missing fisherman, a press statement from the external affairs ministry said.
- New Delhi registers its strong protest by summoning the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in India to the Ministry of External Affairs office
- CM M K Stalin hikes assistance to boat owners, kin of fishermen detained by Sri Lankan Navy
- Fishermen block the Rameswaram-Madurai road, demanding the release of those arrested and action against the Sri Lankan Navy guards
“Indian Consulate Officials in Jaffna have been instructed to immediately rush to Kankesanthurai and extend all possible assistance to the fishermen and their families,” the press statement said.
Press Statement on an incident involving loss of life of an Indian fisherman:https://t.co/3qOZJ8zLSL pic.twitter.com/o5Q8XGmm5L
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 1, 2024
New Delhi registered its strong protest by summoning the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in India to the Ministry of External Affairs office. “We expressed our shock and anguish at the unfortunate loss of life. Our High Commissioner in Colombo will also be raising the matter with the Sri Lankan government later today,” the statement added.
This is the second such collision in recent times. Earlier, a Lankan naval sailor was killed. Sri Lanka had registered its protests with India over the death of its sailor, adding that the sailor was killed during an operation to seize an Indian trawler allegedly engaged in illegal fishing in the island nation’s territorial waters. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Delhi at that time, Kshenuka Seneviratne, had conveyed the message to external affairs minister S. Jaishankar.
India has maintained that fishermen issues between the two countries should be dealt with in a “humane and humanitarian manner”. “Existing understandings between the two Governments in that regard must be strictly observed. Utmost efforts should be made to ensure that there is no recurrence or resort to the use of force,” the Indian government press note said.
“Government attaches the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian fishermen. Issues relating to Indian fishermen have been raised regularly at the highest levels with the Sri Lankan leadership,” the statement added.
On Wednesday night, after obtaining the necessary permissions, a total of 397 boats set out for fishing. While in deep waters, they were surrounded by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Sri Lankan Navy warned the fishermen, claiming they were in Sri Lankan waters, and threatened arrest. This caused panic among the Tamil fishermen, leading them to scatter their boats. During the confusion, a boat belonging to Karthikeyan was hit by a Sri Lankan Navy patrol vessel and sunk.
Mukkaiya, Malaisamy, Ramachandran, and Muthu Muniyandi, who were on the boat, went missing. Fearing for the fishermen’s lives, Karthikeyan has filed a complaint with Fisheries Department authorities.
“Around 6 a.m., they received the token and departed. Later, we learned that a Sri Lankan Navy boat had hit them. We don’t know their whereabouts and urge the authorities to find them. The boat cost Rs 25 lakh. Losing my boat means losing my connection with the sea. Now, I must seek daily wage work to support my family,” stated Karthikeyan.
Meanwhile, fishermen blocked the Rameswaram-Madurai road, demanding the release of those arrested and action against the Sri Lankan Navy guards.
CM M K Stalin hikes assistance to boat owners, kin of fishermen detained by Sri Lankan Navy
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday enhanced the daily assistance being given to the families of fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan navy besides relief provided to owners of fishing vessels confiscated by the island nation.
An official release here said the Chief Minister has ordered to hike daily the assistance of Rs 250 to Rs 350 for the families of fishermen who are languishing in Sri Lankan prisons.
The relief being extended to owners of mechanised fishing vessels seized by the Lankan navy has been increased to Rs 6 lakh from Rs 5 lakh and the sum doubled to Rs 2 lakh to the owners of country boats, the release said.
The gesture follows the Chief Minister’s meeting with the delegation of fishers who apprised him of the plight of the fishermen who were continually arrested by the Lankan authorities. They urged Stalin to take necessary measures to rescue the 87 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and facilitate the release of 175 boats that were seized.
Stalin directed the officials to provide the relief to owners of 151 boats in two installments in 2022 and 2023. Based on that, a total of Rs 6.74 crore was given as relief from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund at the rate of Rs 5 lakh each to mechanised boats and Rs 1.5 lakh each to country crafts, the release said.
Law Minister S Reghupathi, Fisheries Minister Anita R Radhakrishnan, and Chief Secretary Shivdas Meena were among those present on the occasion.
