Guard denies incidentRameswaram(TN), Nov 14 (PTI) Two Tamil Nadu fishermenwere injured after being hit by a stray bullet allegedly firedduring a training exercise by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)personnel in the sea near here, police said today. The CoastGuard, however, denied the incident.
The fishermen, identified as Arockiasamy and Johnson fromPamban, were hospitalised, police said, adding, theircondition was stable.
The bullet allegedly fired by the Coast Guard issuspected to have been shot off target and hit the duo, whowere fishing at nearby Devil's island yesterday.
The stray bullet without gun powder, pierced the upperarm of Arockiasamy and then hit Johnson in his upper limb,police said. However, it was removed from the limb by Johnsonhimself.
Police said that Johnson during investigation allegedthat coast guard personnel had also detained them for severalhours for no reason and threatened them with dire consequencesif they revealed the alleged firing incident to anyone.
Denying any such incident involving its personnel, theICG said, "no fisherman has been fired upon by any CG ship inPalk Bay." It may have be an attempt by the fishermen to "divert"attention as they were checked and warned by the Indian CoastGuard Ship against "unauthorised" paired trawling, the ICGsaid in a statement.
Tamil Nadu IT Minister M Manikandan, meanwhile, told PTIover phone that the matter would be taken up with the Centreto ensure that such incidents did not recur.
Alleging that the two men were shot in the Indian watersby the ICG personnel, fishermen's association here soughtpolice action against those who fired at them.
The Coast Guard while denying any firing by its personnelsaid that the fishing crew in question was involved in"unauthorised" paired trawling.
A Coast Guard vessel on patrol off the InternationalMaritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in Palk Bay "was routinely"investigating fishing boat 'Jehovah Jireh', its statementsaid.
The vessel was investigating the boat "for pairedtrawling on November 13, 2017 at about 1440 hrs," thestatement said. Paired trawling is not authorised in the stateof Tamil Nadu.
"On approaching of Coast Guard Ship, the fishing boatJehovah Jireh ran away from the scene by leaving the nets inthe water and did not stop despite repeated caution by CoastGuard ship," it said.
During the chase, the fishing boat "also rammed" into theICG ship and was stopped and boarded after 50 minutes, itsaid, adding, the boat crew was interrogated for "runningaway." It was also cautioned for non-stopping for securitychecks, the statement said.
"No fishermen has been fired upon by any CG ship inPalk Bay.. Further, rubber bullets are not used by IndianCoast Guard Ships.. No injury or bruises have been inflictedby any Coast Guard personnel by firing or otherwise firingincident as alleged by the fishing boat Jehovah Jireh." "It may be an attempt by fishermen to divert theattention as they were checked and warned by Indian CoastGuard Ship for paired trawling and non-stopping when directedto do so," the statement added. PTI COR SSN SA ROH GSNGSN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.