A court in Sri Lanka has reportedly permitted officials to destroy several Indian mechanised fishing boats seized in the last 3-4 years for crossing into Sri Lankan territorial waters, PTI reports.
The court in Jaffna gave the orders for destroying 27 out of the 94 boats of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody, officials said, quoting information received by them.
The development triggered tension in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and fishermen association leader P Sesuraja appealed against destruction of the seized boats and said steps should be taken to return to their owners.
Sri Lankan Navy had seized several boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen for fishing in their territorial waters in recent years. Some of the seized boats had been released in batches in the past and brought back by the fishermen, PTI reported.
-Agencies
