Lankan navy cut fishing nets of TN fishermen

Sri Lankan Naval personnel allegedly threatened Tamil Nadu fishermen and cut the fishing nets of eight boats while they were fishing near Katchatheevu, a functionary of the local fishermen organisation said today.
They also reportedly threw stones at some boats and threatened the fishermen not to fish there, S Emerite, President of Rameswaram fishermen organisation told PTI.
He said 424 mechanised boats had ventured into the sea from here and were fishing near Katchatheevu last night when the Lankan navy arrived.
The navy personnel allegedly cut the nets of eight boats and threw them into the sea following which they returned to the shore without their catch, he added.

Katchatheevu, an islet in the Palk strait, was ceded to Sri Lanka under the Indo-Lanka accord in 1976.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been pressing the Centre to intervene and personally take up the issue of frequent arrests and alleged attacks on fishermen with Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Lankan Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne, who is due to visit India on Tuesday for bilateral talks, has said Colombo will not release over 200 Indian fishermen lodged in prisons there, before the proposed meeting.
The minister's statement comes a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered the release of 179 Lankan fishermen lodged in state prisons to create a favourable atmosphere.