Thiruvananthapuram: The two Italian Naval
guards charged with killing two Indian fishermen off the
Kollam coast should be prosecuted and their ship should not be
allowed to leave, the Kerala Fishworkers Federation has said.
T Peter, President of the Federation, said the incident was
not isolated. Fishermen from Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), Poovar,
Vizhinham (both in Kerala) had earlier been attacked by
foreign vessels, he said.
Indian fishermen had the right to fish within 200 nautical
miles off the coast. Many of the foreign ships travel within
25 nautical miles crossing the boundaries and causing hardship
to Indian fishing boats, he said.
"Fishermen are now living in fear of attack from foreign
vessels. Deep sea fishing had become almost impossible due to
the threat from the vessels," he said.
Demanding that the Centre and state take steps to ensure
safety of fishermen, he said adequate compensation should be
provided to the kin of the deceased fishermen.
Two Indian fishermen were killed on February 15 off the
Kollam coast when two Italian Naval guards of the Italian ship
`Enrica Lexie` allegedly shot them suspecting them to be
pirates.
PTI
