Address increase in attacks against Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka: Palaniswami to PM Modi

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to address alarming increase in the number of attacks against Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy.

Expressing concern over the recurrence of attacks on Indian fishermen, Palaniswami said Sri Lankan Navy`s unwarranted `display of military might against poor innocent Indian fishermen is unacceptable`.

"I wish to bring your kind attention to yet another instance of high-handedness of Sri Lankan Navy against the Indian fishermen pursuing their peaceful fishing operations in their traditional Palk Bay fishing waters.

In a series of incidents that occurred on the night of 7.8.2017, the Sri Lankan Navy terrorized our fishermen by ramming their boats with armoured Naval vessels and en masse arrested 49 fishermen in 12 fishing boats," he stated in the letter.

He further said that eight fishermen were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday in Ramanathapuram district.The Chief Minister asked Prime Minister Modi to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to resolve the matter.

"I sincerely urge you to take up this matter personally with the highest authorities in Sri Lanka to register our strongest disapproval of the mis-adventure of the Sri Lankan Navy in the mid-seas gravely endangering the lives of our fishermen.

He further requested Prime Minister Modi to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to secure the immediate release of fishermen and their boats.Describing the attacks on fishermen `as sharp escalation and needless provocation, the Chief Minister said fishing issues should be resolved peacefully.