Sri Lanka Navy chief says accidental firing injured Indian fishermen
The Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy says that according to initial investigations, the two Indian fishermen who were injured when the Sri Lanka Navy apprehended an India fishing boat poaching off Kankesanthurai (KKS) have been wounded due to the accidental discharge of a firearm of a Navy personnel.
Speaking during a press conference at the Defence Ministry, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda stated that naval personnel had boarded an Indian fishing trawler that was in Sri Lankan waters due to a suspicion after it did not respond to instructions to leave the area.
However, as a navy officer and a sailor were heading towards the pilothouse of the trawler, the Indian nationals onboard had surrounded them and assaulted the navy personnel while attempting to disarm them, the navy chief said.
He added that when they had attempted to grab the firearm it had accidentally discharged causing minor injuries to two Indian nationals who were immediately rushed to receive medical attention.
“There had been a discharge of weapon. However, the weapon discharge is at a lower angle. Initial investigations have confirmed that it was an accidental discharge when considering the angle of the bullet’s trajectory,” Vice Admiral Banagoda clarified.
India on Tuesday lodged a strong protest with Sri Lanka over an incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy during the apprehension of 13 Indian fishermen in the proximity of Delft Island in the early hours of last morning (28).