Sri Lankan pirates attack Indian fisherman, 3 injured

In the second such incident within 24 hours, three fishermen of Nagapattinam district were injured in a mid-sea attack allegedly by Sri Lankan pirates off Kodiakarai coast early Friday.

They were fishing 18 nautical miles southeast off the coast when the pirates, who arrived in a fast-craft, jumped into their boat and attacked them with iron rods and sickles, fisheries department officials here said.

The pirates then took away their catch, fishing nets, GPS equipment and fled the scene, the officials said.

The injured fishermen returned to shore and were hospitalized, they said. On Thursday, five fishermen of Vizhunthamavadi were injured in a similar attack by Lankan pirates.