Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), February 13: Nearly 2,000 Tamil Nadu fishermen were allegedly chased away by the Sri Lankan Navy while they were fishing in Indian territorial waters, a fishermen association leader said. The fishermen from this island town had put out to sea yesterday in 400 boats and were fishing in the Indian waters when the Lankan Navy transgressed the International Maritime Boundary Line and warned them against venturing near the Katchatheevu islet, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President S Emerit alleged.

Following the incident, all of them returned to the shore this morning, he said and alleged that they were being prevented from exercising their traditional fishing rights in the Indian waters now. Two days back, over 3,000 fishermen from here were chased away by the island nation's naval personnel when they were allegedly fishing near the Katchatheevu islet.