Coast Guard denies firing at Rameswaram fishermen

RAMANATHAPURAM: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) denied allegations made by a group of Rameswaram fishermen and stated that no fisherman was fired upon by any Coast Guard ship, in a press statement on Tuesday.

According to the statement, at 2.40 pm on Monday, the ICG ship Rani Abbakka, while on patrol off the IMBL in Palk Bay, spotted a fishing boat Jehovah Jireh that was allegedly paired trawling. Since pair trawling is unauthorised in Tamil Nadu, the ICG said that they made an attempt to warn the fishermen but that the latter fled the spot ignoring the warnings which caused the guards to chase them.

After nearly 50 minutes, the fishermen were caught and interrogated by the Coast Guards, the release said. The officials also alleged that the fishing boat rammed their ship and strongly denied the charges made by the fishermen of being attacked by the guards. They said that the fishermen were neither fired upon nor injured by the Coast Guards and that rubber bullets are not used by ICG ships.

FIR registered

The Mandapam Marine Police have registered an FIR, on Tuesday, against Indian Coast Guards (ICG) who allegedly opened fire at a group of fishermen. The case has been filed under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penel Code, based on a complaint by Pitchai Arockiya Dass who was injured.

Protests on card

Condemning the attack, the fishermen community from Rameswaram have planned to go on a strike on Wednesday.