Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Ramalingam Chandrasekhar, visited the Colombo National Hospital today (04) to inquire into the condition of fishermen who were severely assaulted by an unidentified group in international waters and are currently receiving treatment for their injuries.
The four fishermen, who were on board the multi-day fishing vessel Sandun Putha 04 (IMUL-A 0852 CHW), were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital this morning after being brought ashore with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Addressing the media at the hospital, the Minister stated:
“The nature of this attack on the fishermen is extremely inhumane. The victims allege that the perpetrators were an Indian group. However, the Indian government has already clarified that it has no involvement in this incident. If another group carried out this attack using the Indian name, flag, or language, it would not only tarnish India’s reputation but also pose a serious threat to our fishing community.”
The Minister said he has informed Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and the Indian High Commission regarding the incident and has requested a fair and transparent investigation through diplomatic channels. Investigations have already been launched by the Sri Lanka Police and the Sri Lanka Navy.
“As the Ministry of Fisheries, we are committed to ensuring the safety of our fishing community. Necessary steps are being taken to provide all required relief and assistance to the affected fishermen,” he added.
Earlier, another group of fishermen who were attacked while on board the vessels Dinithi Duwa 01 and Dinithi Duwa 03 were admitted to the Galle Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. Deputy Minister of Fisheries Ratna Gamage visited the hospital on the 31st to inquire into their condition.
