Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy has expressed anguish over the killing of a 21-year old youth from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu while fishing near Palk Bay allegedly due to the indiscriminate firing by Srilankan Navy. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, he has said the Sri Lankan High Commissioner should be summoned forthwith and the strong feelings of the Government of India about the unprovoked firing on the fishermen and non-adherence to earlier agreements on this issue should be conveyed. <br/><br/>He has said the victim died of firing on his neck last night mid sea while another person aged 31 sustained injuries and hospitalized after reaching the shores. They were part of a team of 5 fishermen who set sail for fishing in a mechanized fishing boat from Rameswaram. Mr Palaniswamy has said in his letter, the horrendous incident marks a new low in the inhuman and cruel manner in which the Sri Lankan Navy is dealing with a sensitive livelihood issue where history, tradition and customary law are all on the side of the poor Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu. <br/><br/>He has said such inhuman and barbaric tactics by the Sri Lankan naval personnel belies all the diplomatic efforts that have been undertaken including the understanding reached in several meetings between the Governments of both the countries, including the recently concluded Joint Working Group meeting in New Delhi and Ministerial Level Meeting at Colombo in which it was clearly agreed not to use force against bona fide fishermen at sea. The state government has announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the killed youth Britjo and Rs 1 lakh to the injured fisherman Saron.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy has expressed anguish over the killing of a 21-year old youth from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu while fishing near Palk Bay allegedly due to the indiscriminate firing by Srilankan Navy. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, he has said the Sri Lankan High Commissioner should be summoned forthwith and the strong feelings of the Government of India about the unprovoked firing on the fishermen and non-adherence to earlier agreements on this issue should be conveyed. <br/><br/>He has said the victim died of firing on his neck last night mid sea while another person aged 31 sustained injuries and hospitalized after reaching the shores. They were part of a team of 5 fishermen who set sail for fishing in a mechanized fishing boat from Rameswaram. Mr Palaniswamy has said in his letter, the horrendous incident marks a new low in the inhuman and cruel manner in which the Sri Lankan Navy is dealing with a sensitive livelihood issue where history, tradition and customary law are all on the side of the poor Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu. <br/><br/>He has said such inhuman and barbaric tactics by the Sri Lankan naval personnel belies all the diplomatic efforts that have been undertaken including the understanding reached in several meetings between the Governments of both the countries, including the recently concluded Joint Working Group meeting in New Delhi and Ministerial Level Meeting at Colombo in which it was clearly agreed not to use force against bona fide fishermen at sea. The state government has announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the killed youth Britjo and Rs 1 lakh to the injured fisherman Saron.