The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the acting Sri Lankan High Commissioner in New Delhi on Tuesday and lodged a strong protest after five Indian fishermen were injured, including two seriously, in a shooting incident by the Sri Lankan Navy near Delft Island, PTI reported.
India strongly condemned the use of force, stating that it is “not acceptable under any circumstances whatsoever.”
The MEA confirmed that the Sri Lankan Navy fired on 13 Indian fishermen during their apprehension near Delft Island early in the morning. Two of the fishermen were seriously injured and are being treated at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, while three others sustained minor injuries and received medical care.
Officials from the Indian Consulate in Jaffna visited the injured fishermen to ensure their welfare and provide support to the fishermen and their families.
The MEA also stated that the Sri Lankan acting high commissioner in New Delhi was called in to express India’s strong protest, and the Indian High Commission in Colombo raised the issue with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry.
India reiterated its position that issues concerning fishermen should be handled in a humane manner, keeping their livelihood concerns in mind. The government emphasized that “the use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances whatsoever” and called for strict adherence to existing agreements between the two nations.