India wants case against US Navy for shooting at fishermen near Dubai

Dubai/Rameswaram: India has asked the UAE to register a case against the US navy after one of its ships opened fire on a boat off Dubai. A fisherman from Tamil Nadu was killed; three others from the same state were injured. The UAE government has agreed to investigate the killing.

India is pursuing the case with the US government as well. (Read: India's statement on the incident)

Lt Gred Raelson, a spokesman for US Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said a security team aboard the USNS Rappahannock fired from a .50-calibre machinegun on the boat after it disregarded warnings and raced towards the ship. (Read: US statement on the incident)

ABC News quoting an unnamed UAE official said the fishing boat had four Indians and two Emirate nationals on board.

Indian embassy officials have visited the three men who were injured.  The man who died has been identified as Sekar from Periyapattinam in Ramanathapuram district.

In Tamil Nadu, Karaiyur Fishermen Association President Malairajan Malairajan said fishermen from  the Ramanathapuram district  often work for Dubai fishing companies on a  daily wage basis.

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India and Italy have been arguing over the former's right to jail and try two Italian marines who shot at a boat off the Kochi coast in February this year, killing two fishermen.  The marines are in custody in Kerala.  Italy says they were guarding an oil tanker and mistook the Indians for Somalian pirates.  They say the Indians ignored warning shots signalling they should keep their distance. Italy's government has said the marines must be sent back home where they will be tried. But India says the shooting took place within Indian waters and so the marines will have to remain here.

(With agency inputs)

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