Over 4,000 Tamil Nadu fishermen were allegedly chased away by Sri Lankan Navy while they were fishing near Katchatheevu, a fishermen association leader said here Tuesday.

The fishermen from this island town who put out to sea in over 500 boats last night were poaching fish near Katchatheevu when the Lankan navy personnel came to the spot and drove them away, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja said.

He also charged the island nation's navy men with snapping the fishing nets of 10 boats.

The fishermen had to return to the shore without a catch.

Sri Lankan Navy personnel had on November 29 allegedly sunk a boat belonging to fishermen from Rameswaram, while they were fishing near Katchateevu and arrested four of them.

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