Rameswaram: Navy would strengthen
security along the south-eastern coast in the wake of attacks
on Indian fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Naval personnel, a
senior Naval official said here Friday.
"We will strengthen security along the South-Eastern
coast," Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of Eastern Naval
Command (Visakhapattinam) S V Dhokare told reporters after
reviewing coastal security measures here.
The senior Naval official undertook the exercise a day
after India lodged a strong protest with Sri Lanka over the
killing of a
Tamil Nadu fisherman allegedly by the island
Navy.
Dhokare said the Navy had informed the Centre about the
incident in which a fisherman from Jagadapattinnam near
Pudukottai was killed in alleged firing by Sri Lankan Naval
personnel on Wednesday.
He said the government had taken up the issue with Sri
Lanka.
Dhokare also made an aerial survey of the sea around
Rameswaram along with senior Naval officers and visited the
nearby Naval Air Station at Uchipuli and Naval Detachment here
and held discussions with senior officials, including S
Agarwal, Commanding Officer of Naval Detachment.
The country had yesterday summoned Sri Lankan High
Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam and lodged a strong protest
over the killing of the fisherman, saying such incidents have
no "justification".
New Delhi urged Sri Lankan authorities to "desist" from
use of force against fishermen.
The incident also evoked a strong reaction from Tamil
Nadu with Chief Minister M Karunanidhi sending a telegram to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for strong action to end such
"atrocities".
The Sri Lankan envoy, however, denied involvement of his
country`s Navy in the killing of the fisherman.
Meanwhile, Indian Coast Guard DIG and Commander of ICG
ship `Vikram` Raj said the fishermen crossed Indian
territorial waters resulting in attacks by Lankan Navy
.
"However, it is wrong to shoot innocent fishermen," he said
and appealed the fishermen not to cross the International
Maritime Boundary Line.
PTI
