A mechanised boat fisherman from Tamil Nadu sustained injuries after he fell into the sea after a Sri Lankan naval vessel crashed into the fishing trawler in a bid to arrest the fishermen, onboard for poaching in Lankan waters on Saturday, The Hindu said.

Didit Raj (45), the fisherman from Thangachimadam was one of the six fishermen onboard the trawler (IND TN 09 MM 245) and fishing on the high seas off Katchatheevu when the Lankan navy from Delft island, crashed into their vessel.

In the impact, Raj fell into the sea and got hit by the trawler on his chest. After fellow fishermen helped him to board the boat, the Lankan navy detained them for poaching in Lankan waters.

As the navy was taking the fishermen along with the trawler, Raj developed chest pain, warranting medical intervention.

To avert any untoward incident, the navy released the fishermen, after which they returned to the fishing jetty on Saturday evening.

After first aid at the Government hospital in Rameswaram, Raj was admitted to the government headquarters hospital in Ramanathapuram, The Hindu said.

“The Lankan navy released us after I complained of severe chest pain,” he said. Hospital sources, citing scan reports, said his condition was stable.

The trawler suffered damage on being hit by the Lankan navy vessel and there was a gaping hole in the middle portion of the boat.

The fishermen managed to sail to the shore with the help of other fishing vessels. Praveen, the boat owner, has lodged a complaint with the Fisheries department.

The department had issued fishing permits to 450 trawlers and more than 2,500 fishermen had set out for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing jetty on Saturday morning.

They were fishing on the high seas when a Lankan navy from Delift island chased them away, the fishermen said.