As many as eight fishermen from the district were injured in two separate mid-sea attacks carried out by the Sri Lankan navy off the Kodiakarai coast near Nagapattinam district during the late hours on Wednesday.
In the first incident, four fishermen from Vellapallam fishing hamlet ventured out to sea on Wednesday in a fibre boat. By evening, as they were fishing 11 nautical miles off the Vellapallam coast, the Sri Lankan navy arrived at the spot and assaulted the fishermen with wooden logs. Threatening the fishermen of more violent actions if they ever fished in the area again, the Sri Lankan navy personnel damaged the fishing nets and left the spot.
The injured managed to reach shore very late on Wednesday night and were admitted to the Nagapattinam government hospital, where their condition is said to be stable.
In the second attack, four fishermen were injured in the late hours of Wednesday. The four had went to sea on Wednesday from Vanavanmahadevi village. As they were fishing, the Sri Lankan navy personnel arrived at the spot and assaulted the four fishermen. The Sri Lankan navy personnel also damaged the engine of the boat and took away their catch. The injured fishermen were admitted to the Nagapattinam government hospital.