Sri Lanka Navy denies shooting Indian fishermen
By DPA, IANSMonday, January 24, 2011
COLOMBO - Sri Lanka Monday strongly rejected allegations that its navy had killed an Indian fisherman and warned of “elements” trying to tarnish relations between the neighbouring countries.
Navy spokesman Captain Athula Senarath said its personnel had no involvement in Saturday’s reported shooting off the Kodikarai coast in Nagapattinam district, where one fisherman was killed and two were injured.
“Our patrol crafts operating off the northern coast have nothing to do with this reported incident,” he said. “There may be some elements involved in trying to tarnish the good relations we have.”
The navy was accused of a similar incident 10 days before.
Prasad Kariyawasam, Sri Lanka’s high commissioner in New Delhi, denied any government involvement in Saturday’s shooting.
Kariyawasam was summoned Jan 13 by the Indian government to discuss the previous incident, in which another fisherman was killed. Sri Lanka denied involvement in that incident as well.
