Rao to take up with Colombo killing of Indian fishermen

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Indian Foreign Secretary
Nirupama Rao will travel to Colombo on Saturday to discuss
with the Sri Lankan government the killing of Indian fishermen
in the past one month allegedly by its navy.
"Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has
asked the Foreign Secretary to go to Sri Lanka Saturday to
discuss the killing of Indian fishermen with the government
there," sources said here Friday.
Reflecting the political sensitivities in sothern
Indian state Tamil Nadu, India has already reacted very
strongly to the incidents in which two Indian fishermen were
killed in the span of one month, notwithstanding Sri Lankan
government's claim that its navy was not involved.
Terming the incidents as "very serious" and
"unacceptable", India has said that such incidents have no
"justification" and called on Sri Lankan authorities to
"desist" from the use of force.
A fisherman was killed and two others were injured
while fishing off Kodiakarai coast on January 22. The man, who
had put out to sea with two others from Pushpavanam coastal
hamlet, died after Sri Lankan Naval personnel allegedly tied a
rope around his neck and pushed him into the water, fisheries
department sources said.
On January 12, an Indian fishermen was killed in Palk
Straits when Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire at three
fishermen, who put out to sea from Jagadapattinnam near
Pudukottai.