The Police stated that further action will be taken with Acting Attorney General (AG), President’s Counsel Parinda Ranasinghe Junior’s instructions regarding the death of a Naval sailor during an operation to apprehend a group of Indian fishermen for fishing illegally in Sri Lankan waters.

A sailor was killed on 25 June in an operation targeting Indian fishermen and their fishing vessel off Kankesanthurai in the Jaffna Peninsula.

When queried by The Daily Morning about the future course of action against the said group of fishermen, the Police Media Spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Police Nihal Thalduwa said that the suspects are currently in remand custody while the Police is awaiting the Acting AG's instructions. 

“It must first be determined if this is a case of murder. The relevant investigations will establish this. The Acting AG will then provide the necessary instructions for action to be taken against them,” he said.

In the early hours of 25 June, a fishing trip for 10 Indian fishermen from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, ended in tragedy with the death of a Sri Lankan Navy officer. According to the authorities, the officer died due to the “aggressive manoeuvres” of the Indian fishermen's trawler which was resisting seizure. The fishermen, now in Sri Lankan custody and reportedly facing charges related to the death, however deny these allegations and insist that they are innocent.

Illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters by Indian fishermen, and vice versa, is a persistent issue due to the close proximity and rich marine resources of both the countries. Indian fishermen, particularly from Tamil Nadu, often cross into Sri Lankan territorial waters in search of a better catch, leading to frequent arrests and the confiscation of their boats by the Sri Lankan authorities, particularly the Navy.