Killing of fishermen: Karunanidhi wants PM to intervene

Amidst reports that the recent mid-sea killing of five fishermen off Kanyakumari coast could have been handiwork of the sea Tigers (the sea wing of the LTTE), Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “to investigate the incident to find out the identity of the attackers and their international connections.” Initial reports indicated that the Lankan Navy was behind the attack.

Urging the Prime Minister to enhance the presence of the Coast Guard and Navy for intensive sea and air patrolling with additional man power and state-of-the-art vessels and aircraft, Karunanidhi in a letter said: “Unless some stern measures are taken by the Government of India to make the Indian waters safe for fishing, the situation is likely to go out of control.”

Karunanidhi said according to preliminary information, two boats approached the lone Indian fishing boat from the Sri Lankan side and “without any provocation or warning indiscriminately opened fire”. “Quickly after firing and assuming that the Indian fishermen were dead, both boats fled,” he said.

“I have no words to convey my anguish and distress. The entire fishermen community and the common public in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu are agitated,” he added.