The Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday refuted allegations by a group of fishermen from Rameswaram that they were fired upon by the Coast Guard while fishing off the Palk Bay on Monday.
Fishermen fishing along the Rameswaram coast alleged that shots were fired at them by the Coast Guard and a fisherman in the boat owned by J Anthony Raj was injured in the hand. The fisherman Anthony Pitchai was brought to the shore with bullet injuries and admitted to the Government hospital in Ramanathapuram, according to other fishermen in the boat.
According to Ramanathapuram Police, the fisherman wan injured by a rubber bullet fired during training by the Coast Guard. Pictures shown by Tamil TV news channels featured images of a fisherman and his injured hand. While the fishermen community members seemed upset and tense over the issue the Coast Guard in a release to the media denied allegations that it shot at the fishermen. The release said the Coast Guard ship patrolling off the International Maritime Boundary line on Monday came across a fishing boat Jehovah Jereh which was engaged in paired trawling.
Paired trawling has been declared illegal in Tamil Nadu.
“On approaching of Coast Guard Ship, the fishing boat Jehovah Jireh ran away from scene by leaving the nets in the water and did not stop despite repeated caution by Coast Guard ship. During the chase, the boat had also rammed Coast Guard ship. The boat was finally stopped and boarded after a chase of 50 minutes. The boat crew was interrogated for reason of running away and was cautioned by Coast Guard Ship for non-stopping for security checks,” said the release.
The Coast Guard release further stated that no fishermen had been fired upon by any of the Coast Guard ship in the region. “Further, rubber bullets are not used by Indian Coast Guard ships. No injury or bruises have been inflicted by any Coast Guard personnel by firing or otherwise as alleged by the fishing boat Jehovah Jireh. It may be an attempt by fishermen to divert the attention as they were checked and warned by Indian Coast Guard ship for paired trawling and non-stopping when directed to do so,” the release stated.
The relations between the fishermen in southern Tamil Nadu and the Coast Guard are reportedly strained due to the strict norms enforced by the latter against cross-border fishing. The Coast Guard in its affidavits submitted to the Madras High Court in response to petitions filed by fishermen from the State who complained that they were not being protected by the former from the attacks by Sri lankan Navy had stated that no attacks have happened in the Indian side of the International Maritime Boundary line and the Tamil Nadu fishermen trespass into lankan waters for poaching.