Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday dismissed as wrong reports about firing on Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy in the last 10 months but said cases of some excesses by them have been taken up.
"There have been excesses by the Sri Lankan Navy, like arrests and keeping the
fishermen in their custody, who crossed the maritime border. However, there were no incidents or reports of firing for the last 10 months. The reports are wrong," Chidambaram told reporters in Coimbatore.
He said India had been asking the Sri Lankan government to hand over to it fishermen who cross the coastal border. "We will again take up the issue with that government."
Replying to a query, he said the Centre had already written to the States to create Police Establishment Boards to manage transfer and postings, as discussed in the recent meeting of DGPs from the states in Delhi.
The Centre had also asked the States to set up police commission, to redress the grievances of the force and evolve State Security policy to regulate the services, he said.
Creation of board and commission was not a directive by the Centre, he said, adding, all the States were answerable to the Supreme Court which had passed orders in this regard. Union Territories had already implemented the proposals.
The Home Minister's arrival in Coimbatore was delayed due to a technical snag in his flight, which had to return to Chennai airport. Chidambaram took another flight to reach here for official engagements.