1,500 TN fishermen driven away by Lankan Navy: Ass'n leader

Rameswaram (TN): Around 1,500 fishermen from here returned to the shores without fish catch Sunday after they were allegedly driven away by Sri Lankan Navay near Katchatheevu, a fishermen association leader said.

The fishermen, who had put out to sea Saturday in over 275 mechanised boats, were fishing near Katchatheevu when the Lankan Naval personnel in four patrol vessels allegedly snapped the fishing nets of 10 boats, Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja told reporters here.

The Naval personnel also drove away the other fishermen, following which they returned here Sunday morning, he claimed.

On Friday, over 600 fishermen from Rameswaram region were chased away and fishing nets of nearly 10 boats allegedly snapped by the Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their waters.