The Indian Coast Guard on Saturday was forced to blank fire after it met with opposition from Indian fishermen over the docking of a Sri Lankan fishing vessel in Puducherry fishing harbour.
The boat, which was later escorted to Chennai, was apprehended by the coast guard on Friday around 40 nautical miles south east of Puducherry and was brought to the harbour on Saturday morning.
The vessel could not be docked after it got stuck in the silt near the harbour. Later, fishermen along with some outfits including Nam Thamilar Iyyakkam and Thanthai Periyar Desiya Kazhagam objected to the bringing in of the vessel.
They shouted slogans against the Sri Lankan government and pelted stones. The protestors alleged that Lankan navy attack and sink the vessels of Indian fishermen, whenever they accidently entered the SL territorial waters on a regular basis.
Apprehending that the situation could turn into a L&O problem, the boat was taken to Chennai, reports the Express News Service.
