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Fisherman killing muddies waters, victim's kin refuse to accept body

Tamil Nadu CM writes to PM Modi as Sri Lanka's initial probe gives clean chit to its navy

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Relatives of 21-year-old Britjo (inset), who was allegedly shot dead by the Lankan Navy, staging a protest at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday
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The killing of an Indian fisherman allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy on Monday night snowballed into a major controversy on Wednesday with thousands of fishermen taking to protest in Rameswaram, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami shooting off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention.

The bereaved family too joined the protest and refused to accept the body of the 22-year-old deceased unless a Central minister visited the island.

While the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) conveyed its concerns to the Sri Lakan government, reports from Colombo said that the Sri Lankan government has ordered a probe into the incident. "Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka has taken up the matter with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka," said MEA spokesperson Gopal Bhagley.

K Britjo from Thangachimadam is the first fisherman to be shot dead by the Lankan Navy since 2011. His neighbour and fellow boatman, Jeron, 28, suffered injuries on his hand and is undergoing treatment at Ramanathapuram Government General Hospital.

Police said that during the autopsy, an AK-47 bullet was found lodged in the neck of the deceased. The shooting incident has sent shock waves among the fishermen community in the state, as it came close on the heels of a series of detentions. As many as 59 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were taken into custody by the Lankan Navy in the last five days.

Even though the Sri Lankan government reportedly ruled out its navy's involvement in the killing as per the initial probe report, the Coastal Security Group of Tamil Nadu Marine police registered a case against the Sri Lankan Navy under Section 302 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code.

"I write in deep anguish to bring to your urgent notice the cold-blooded, inhumane, horrific and illegal barbaric killing of a young Indian fisherman from Tamil Nadu due to the unprovoked firing by Sri Lankan Navy on Indian fishermen while peaceably fishing in their traditional waters of Palk Bay," the Chief Minister said in his letter to Modi. The CM also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the victim's family and Rs one lakh to the injured.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties in the state — DMK, Congress, BJP, MDMK, PMK and the Left — too condemned the incident and sought Central intervention and increased compensation to the victim's kin.

Finance and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, who visited the bereaved family, tried to assuage the protesters and receive the dead body, but in vain.

TROUBLED WATERS

167 — Incidents of shooting on Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy (1991-2011)
85 — Number of fishermen killed
180 — Number of those injured
85 — Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody
128 — Boats of TN fishermen in Sri Lankan custody

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