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Tamil residents of Thirukkadalur in Trincomalee staged a mass protest this week, blocking the main Nilaveli Road to demand justice after the Sri Lankan navy shot a Tamil fisherman in the region.
The demonstration, which began at 8:00 a.m., was triggered by a shooting incident on 3 June, when Sri Lankan Navy personnel opened fire on a group of Tamil fishermen off the Trincomalee coast. A 23-year-old fisherman from Jayanagar, Kuchchaveli, was injured and is now being treated in the Intensive Care Unit at Trincomalee General Hospital.
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The shooting came just days after another violent incident that had already shaken the Thirukkadalur fishing community. On the same day, a fishing vessel from the village was deliberately rammed and attacked by a privately owned tanker while fishing in the Valaichchenai sea. The fishing boat was severely damaged, leaving the crew stranded at sea before being rescued by other local fishermen. One of the fishermen remains hospitalised with injuries sustained in the attack.
Despite formal complaints lodged with both the police and the Fisheries Department, residents accused the authorities of blatant inaction and a failure to apprehend those responsible for the tanker assault. This perceived impunity, combined with the escalation of state violence through the Navy shooting, fuelled protest which saw hundreds blockade the road, including members of the Fishermen’s Associations of Patham Kurichi, Thirukkadalur, Pallathottam, Sonaiyadi, Alasthottam, and Salli, as well as local women’s groups and members of the public.
Protesters carried placards condemning both the Sri Lankan Navy’s actions and the failure of police to ensure the safety of Tamil fishermen. The protest was called off by noon only after police confirmed that suspects in the tanker attack had been arrested by occupying police force in Valaichchennai, following the submission of photographic evidence and the vessel’s license plate number by the victims.
Several political and civic figures visited the protest site, including members of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), lawyers, and National People's Power parliamentarian Roshan Akmeemana.
