Two fishermen missing in Thondamanaru

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 July 2006, 05:07 GMT]
Two fishermen from Valvettithurai have been reported missing in the northern waters off Thondamanaru Friday night. The boat, belonging to the missing persons caught fire when Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) troopers shot at the boat. Millons of rupees worth fishing nets and equipment were lost when fishermen in 400 boats were chased away by the SLN boats Friday night, Vadamaradchy North Fisheries Consortium has complained to Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) in Jaffna.

Thevamani Arul, 30, and Krishnapillai Chandramohan, 28, father of three, from Mathavady in Valvettithurai, were the fishermen missing according to the officials of the fisherie consortium.

A Humedica gifted boat after the Tsunami tragedy, owned by the fishermen, was completely destroyed, the officials added.

Fishermen in more than 400 boats had to leave their boats when SLN troopers began firing at the civilian boats Friday night.

On Saturday, Sri Lanka Navy and Army troopers, barred civilians from accessing the coastal belt starting from Thondamanaru to Valvetithurai, fishermen in the area said.

Additional troops have been deployed along the coastal areas.

Sri Lankan military sources in Jaffna reported a clash in the seas off Thondamanaru Friday night around 10:15 p.m.