Thirty fishermen were injured when they were assaulted allegedly by Sri Lankan Naval personnel in the high seas off the coast here on Thursday, police said.
The fishermen alleged that the Lankan Naval men, who came in seven boats, whipped them with a rope, and took away their catch and GPS equipment, among others, early Thursday morning.
Two of the boats were fitted with machine guns, while the Naval personnel in five other boats were heavily armed, they told officials.
Tension prevailed in this island town as the fishermen gathered at the fisheries office to complain about the assault.
A case has been registered in this regard, police said.
Recurring attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen, allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy, had been an issue for a long time. Sri Lanka accused the fishermen of crossing the IMBL and fishing in the island waters, offering rich fish wealth.
