Sri Lanka on Sunday rejected as "baseless" the allegation that its military had killed an Indian fisherman and wounded two others.
Six Tamil Nadu fishermen were injured on Tuesday when they were allegedly attacked by the Sri Lankan navy which briefly detained 13 others near Katchatheevu in the Palk Straits.
Cyclone Ditwah exits Sri Lanka after causing widespread destruction and over 120 deaths, heading towards the Indian coast. Heavy rains and high winds are expected to continue.
Sixteen fishermen from Rameswaram were injured in an alleged mid-sea attack by Sri Lankan naval personnel while fishing near the International Maritime Boundary Line in Palk Strait, the police said on Sunday.
Tamil fishermen being attacked by the Sri Lankan navy has become a regular affair in Tamil Nadu. Most of these fishermen belong to two districts: Nagaipattinam and Ramanathapuram which includes the island of Rameswaram.
A day after Sri Lankan Navy released around 1,000 Tamil Nadu fishermen after detaining them for a day, thousands of fishermen from Rameshwaram launched an indefinite strike on Friday demanding protection and an end to recurring incidents of attacks by the island's navy.
Twelve fishermen were injured and 20 boats damaged when they were attacked allegedly by Sri Lankan naval personnel for fishing in their territorial waters.
Protesting the repeated "onslaughts" by the Sri Lankan Navy against Tamil Nadu fishermen, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure the release of the arrested fishermen.
India's concerns over a planned naval exercise between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the strategically important waters of Trincomalee led to the shelving of the drills weeks ago. The exercise was planned as part of regular engagements between the two navies, but India expressed its apprehensions to the Sri Lankan government. Trincomalee, situated on Sri Lanka's northeastern coast, is considered a significant hub in the Indian Ocean region, particularly for India's maritime security interests. The Pakistani Navy's close cooperation with China's PLA Navy has raised concerns in New Delhi about any Pakistani warship presence in Trincomalee. This incident follows previous diplomatic rows between India and Sri Lanka over the docking of Chinese vessels at Sri Lankan ports. India has been actively supporting Sri Lanka's development of Trincomalee's energy infrastructure and has recently signed a defense pact with the country to boost military cooperation.
The fighting started after Naval personnel intercepted a group of Sea Tiger boats moving toward the Pulmodai area on the northeast coast.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Saturday sunk a Sri Lankan naval logistic ship at the Trincomalee harbour with the Tiger rebels claiming it was the handiwork of their commandos from 'Kangkai Amaran unit'. "An under-water explosion damaged and caused logistic vessel A-520 (MV Invincible) to sink at 2.15 am on Saturday while moored at the Ashroff jetty in Trincomalee harbour," a Sri Lankan Navy statement said.
'During Congress rule, the government used to get both the fishermen and the boats released whenever the Sri Lankan navy apprehended them.' 'Under BJP rule, only the fishermen are being released.'
Around 40 activists of a Tamil outfit on Friday stormed the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi, pelting stones and ransacking the premises -- an incident which the Government of India regretted and promised appropriate action against the perpetrators.
During a virtual meeting of the joint working group on fisheries on Friday, both countries agreed that the use of force could not be justified under any circumstances.
The Indian high commission said its operational visit is to commemorate the ninth edition of International Day of Yoga under the theme of "Global Ocean Ring".
Eight fishermen were injured in separate incidents of attack allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing off Kodiakarai coast, fisheries department officials said on Thursday.
Over 5,000 fishermen from various hamlets in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu on Thursday started an indefinite strike to protest the arrest of their fellow fishermen belonging to Akkaraipettai off Kodiakarai coast by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Over 5,000 fishermen from various hamlets in the district on Thursday commenced on an indefinite strike protesting the arrest of their fellow fishermen belonging to Akkaraipettai off Kodiakarai coast by the Sri Lankan navy.
The navy said that so far the 270,000 metric tonnes of crude oil it was carrying had not been affected by the fire.
Assistant Director of Fisheries, Veeran, said the Lankan Navy had informed them through the Coast Guard that the fishermen had landed there by accident on Sunday, and they were to be released on Monday after being found innocent.
Five Indian fishermen were given the death penalty by a Sri Lankan court on Thursday for alleged drug trafficking, prompting a response from India that it will appeal to a higher court against the judgement.
A Sri Lankan court on Wednesday ordered release of 19 Tamil Nadu fishermen, who were arrested by Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in the island republic's waters on October 14, fisheries department officials said.
A Chinese Navy warship capable of surveillance has docked at the Colombo port, nearly a year after another spy vessel berthed at a strategic port in the country and raised concerns in India.
Intelligence officials on Wednesday questioned local fishermen to verify reports that their boats had been used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to attack a Sri Lankan Navy vessel.
Taking exception to the continued arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu government has told the Centre that Colombo's "dubious actions" has resulted in the situation at sea remaining "precarious."
Marumalarchi Dravida Munntera Kazhagam General Secretary Vaiko on Friday said repeated attacks on Indian fishermen, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, has made the livelihood of over one crore fishermen in Tamil Nadu quite uncertain.
Slamming New Delhi's "meek and passive approach" over the arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu government has said the Centre cannot remain a "mute spectator" and asked to condemn the island navy's action in the "strongest terms."
Thirteen Indians are among the 16-member crew of a Comoros-flagged oil tanker that went missing after it capsized off the coast of Oman, the country's maritime authority said.
Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 53 Indian fishermen in the last 24 hours for allegedly entering its waters illegally, prompting India to summon Lankan deputy high commissioner in New Delhi.
Sri Lankan Navymen on Monday detained 14 fishermen from Tamil Nadu for allegedly fishing in their waters but freed them hours later on sighting an Indian Navy vessel near the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Voicing concern over Tamil Nadu fishermen being caught by Sri Lankan navy, the Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and state government on petitions filed by Dravida Munetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam members of Parliament for release of those languishing in jails there.
More than 120 Indian fishermen, arrested by Sri Lankan Navy in the past several months, were released on Friday in line with the reciprocal agreement reached between the two countries to set free detained fishermen.
Sixty-six Tamil Nadu fishermen set free by a Sri lankan court after being arrested recently by the island navy, arrived in Rameswaram on Wednesday with the Indian Coast Guard repatriating them.
In the wake of arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking laying down a time-bound action plan to achieve a "long-term, permanent solution to the problem and also to put in place a strong and robust diplomatic response".
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested another 11 Tamil Nadu fishermen late on Wednesday night, hours after they apprehended 36 fishermen hailing from a village in Pudukottai district while fishing near Neduntheevu and Katchatheevu islet, a fisheries department official said.
At least 60 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel while fishing near Katchatheevu on Thursday, an official from fishermen association said.
The Sri Lankan navy on Tuesday arrested 25 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in the country's waters, officials said.
The SL PM said that Indian fishermen may be shot if they intruded into Sri Lankan waters.
Seeking strong diplomatic action from the Centre for release of 28 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said the Centre should "not" treat the International Maritime Boundary Line with the island nation as a settled question, as it is a subject matter of litigation in the Supreme Court.
Observing that Indian fishermen hailing from Tamil Nadu have been "traditionally fishing" in contentious Katchatheevu, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ask Colombo to stop its navy from harassing them.
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