In a series of concerning incidents, fishermen from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, have been subjected to attacks by Sri Lankan pirates.
The attacks, which took place near Vedharanyam, have left the local fishing community in a state of fear.
Details of the Incidents
The article details two separate attacks. In the first incident, four fishermen—Balakrishnan, Idumban, Rathinam, and Ganesan—were assaulted. The pirates, armed with knives, stole valuable equipment including cell phones, GPS devices, batteries, and flashlights. The attack left three of the fishermen with serious injuries, requiring them to be admitted to Orathur Government Medical College Hospital.
In a second, similar attack, another group of four fishermen—Pragathees, Thiruchelvam, Sundaravel, and Santhakumar—was targeted. The pirates again used a knife to threaten them and made off with a significant amount of their fishing gear, including a 200 kg fishing net, cell phones, batteries, a charger, a petrol can, and a GPS device.
Two of these fishermen, Pragathees and Santhakumar, were also hospitalized for treatment.
The repeated attacks have created a climate of fear among the fishermen of Cheruthur.
They have issued an urgent appeal to both the central and state governments to intervene and take decisive action to protect their livelihoods and ensure their safety at sea.
The police are currently investigating both incidents.
