India on Thursday protested the death of an Indian fisherman in firing by Sri Lankan Navy personnel and urged Colombo to avoid the use of force. "We have received reports of the death of an Indian fisherman due to firing by Sri Lankan Navy personnel," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.
"India's high commissioner in Colombo has immediately taken up the matter with the Sri Lankan government and expressed our deep concern and regret at this incident," Prakash added.
The Sri Lankan Navy reportedly opened fire on three Indian fishermen at sea near the Tamil Nadu coast, leading to the death of one on Wednesday evening.
New Delhi has conveyed to Colombo that resorting "to firing in these situations has no justification and called on the Sri Lankan authorities to desist from use of force".
"The welfare and safety of our fishermen in the waters between India and Sri Lanka have received very high priority by the government," said the spokesperson.
"We call on the Sri Lankan Navy to exercise maximum restraint and avoid use of force in such situations," the spokesperson said while stressing that the Sri Lankan government should refrain from firing on Indian fishermen and scrupulously adhere to the October 2008 understanding reached between the two governments.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Navy today categorically denied reports that they had fired at Indian fishermen at waters near Tamil Nadu, killing one person.
"No such incident had been reported," Lankan Navy spokesperson Captain Athula Senarth told reporters in Colombo.
Earlier, Indian media reported that at least one fisherman from Tamil Nadu was killed last night in an incident near Tamil Nadu waters. The media reports said the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire at the fisherman killing one and injuring another.