MK Stalin Condemns Attack On Tamil Fishermen In Sri Lanka

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday condemned the alleged attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka nationals on February 15.

The Chief Minister wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, requesting the central government to intervene and take up the matter with the Sri Lankan authorities.

Mr Stalin wrote, "I wish to draw your immediate attention to the incident of attack on Indian fishermen that took place on 15.02.2023. In this incident, a Country Craft bearing a Registration Number IND-TN-06-MO-3051 ventured for fishing from Nambiyar Nagar fishing village (Nagappatinam District) along with six crew (members)."

"While they were reportedly fishing east of Thopputhurai on 15.02.2023, about 10 Sri Lankan Nationals in three fishing boats surrounded the Indian fishing boat and beaten our innocent fishermen with iron rods, sticks and knives. In this attack, one fisherman sustained injuries in the head and left hand and five other fishermen sustained internal injuries," he added.

"Further, it is understood that the Sri Lankan Nationals took away materials worth about Rs 2 lakh, including walkie talkie, GPS equipment, battery and about 200 kg fish," he stated further in his letter.

"The injured were admitted to Nagapattinam Government hospital for treatment. I am pained to point out that these incidents of attacks by Sri Lankan Nationals are getting frequent," he further observed in his letter to the EAM.

Mr Stalin further requested the Union government to ensure that such "acts of violence are not repeated in future".

"Hence, I request that the Government of India take this up with the Sri Lankan Government, (which) urgently needs to restrain and take stringent action against such elements among the Sri Lankan nationals so that similar acts of violence are not repeated in future," the letter stated further.

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