Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Central Government has taken up the matter of firing at Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan navy strongly with Sri Lankan government through the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Ministry of External Affairs also summoned Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam to South Block and asked for an explanation on the shooting incident.
However, Kariyawasam denied that Indian fishermen were fired upon by the Sri Lankan navy.
"The Sri Lankan navy says they were never present in the area and they never fired any shot. Since we have received a complain so we are enquiring about it," he said in New Delhi after meeting Ministry of External Affairs officials.
India has emphasised that firing in such situations has no justification and has called on the Sri Lankan authorities to desist from use of force.
India has asked Sri Lanka to adhere to the October 2008 understanding reached between the two governments and called on the Sri Lankan Navy to exercise maximum restraint and avoid use of force in such situations.
DMK took up the matter with the Centre and demanded strong action.
However, Sri Lankan navy has denied that they had fired and said they were assisting the fishermen to return into Indian waters.
AIADMK has slammed the Tamil Nadu government for not taking enough steps to stop the atrocities against fishermen and said the matter should have been taken up at the highest level when Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse visited India.
"We should take strong action. Rajapakse came here and there was an absolute silence. What are we doing?" asks AIADMK MLA Badar Saeed.
The Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday opened fire on Indian fishermen in the Indian Ocean killing one and critically injuring another.
The firing reportedly occurred as the Lankans believed the Indians were trespassing. But it is not clear whether the fisherman were in Indian territorial waters or in Lanka's.
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