Oct 21, Colombo: Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu have accused the Sri Lanka Navy of attacking them and damaging their boats when they were fishing in mid sea off Danushkodi on Sunday.

The Sri Lankan Navy had pelted stones at the boats of four fishermen and caused damages to the boats, a PTI report said quoting an Indian fisheries official.

The Sri Lankan naval personnel have reportedly surrounded six boats of the fishermen, pelted stones at them damaging the vessels and thrown away the fishing nets,

The official has further said that rescue boats had been dispatched to bring the fishermen ashore as their boats were damaged by the attack.

Sri Lanka Navy says it conducts routine patrols to deter Indian fishermen from poaching in Sri Lankan Waters in order to protect the country's fisheries resources as large scale illegal poaching by Indian fishermen mainly from Tamil Nadu with trawlers in Sri Lankans waters has become a serious threat to the livelihoods of Sri Lankan fishermen.