TN fishers capture Lankan pirate after mid-sea attack

Trichy: A group of Tamil Nadu fishermen captured a suspected Sri Lankan pirate after he and his associates allegedly attacked and tried to rob their boats in the high seas off Nagapattinam on Sunday night.According to sources, fishermen from Seruthur village had ventured out in fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) motorised boats on Saturday night and were fishing about 10 nautical miles off Vedaranyam. Around 7 pm, as they cast their nets, armed gangs in high-speed boats, suspected to be from Sri Lanka, approached and began attacking them. The assailants allegedly assaulted the fishermen and looted their catch, outboard engines, nets and equipment, including GPS devices and batteries. Around 11.30 pm, a three-member gang targeted a boat carrying K Sakthimayil, 40, P Abhiman, 30, P Balasubramanian, 29, P Palanisami, 28 and Abi, 38. "They assaulted us and took away our equipment. When they tried to remove the engine and we resisted, they attacked us again. But we managed to overpower and capture one of them," Sakthimayil said. The other two fled in their boat, leaving their associate behind. The fishermen tied up the man and returned to shore on Monday morning before handing him over to the police. During initial questioning, the suspect identified himself as ‘Ajanthan'. However, after Tamil Nadu police contacted their counterparts in Jaffna, he was identified as Dayanas, a resident of Anthoniyarpuram in Jaffna. He was first taken to a primary health centre and later admitted to Nagapattinam Government Medical College Hospital with injuries sustained during the scuffle. The accused was subsequently handed over to the Marine Police Station in Vedaranyam. The Coastal Security Group has registered a case under various sections, including provisions of the Maritime Zones of India Act, and further investigation is on. Meanwhile, around 14 fishermen injured in the attacks were admitted to the same hospital for treatment. An official said the accused would be produced before a magistrate and that the Indian government would inform Sri Lankan authorities about the arrest.