Rameswaram: The body of one of the four Indian fishermen who had gone missing while at sea was found washed ashore at Nedunthivu along the Sri Lankan coast, according to the Ramanathapuram Fishermen Association and officials of the Fisheries Department.
The body of Victus (42), hailing from Rameswaram, who had been missing since April 2, was found yesterday, said Gnanaseelan, president, Ramanathapuram Fishermen Association.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the coastal fishermen areas as the fate of three others on the boat was not known.
The fishermen claimed there was "no chance" that the boat in which Victus had gone fishing would sink because it was a big vessel. It could have been attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy and then sunk, they told the officials of the assistant director of Fisheries Department here.
Gnanaseelan also alleged that more than 1,500 Indian fishermen who were fishing in 300 boats between Dhanushkodi and Katchativu were "chased away" by the Lankan Navy early
this morning.
The Lankan Navy had turned back on seeing the Indian Coastguard Patrol, he said.
Meanwhile, Rajesh Doss, the Inspector General of Police, Coastal Security, told reporters that the fishermen had been advised not to cross the International Maritime Border Line.
He said four Sri Lankan Navy men were missing for the past one week, and all the coastal villages and fishermen had been alerted and asked to inform the police if they were spotted.
Talks were being held with the Sri Lankan officials to prevent the attack on Indian fishermen, Doss said.
He said the 18 check posts along the Ramanathapuram coastal areas had been temporarily suspended as the policemen there had been deployed on election duty. The functioning of the check posts would be revived shortly, he added.
PTI
