The Sri Lankan Navy fired at five Indian fishermen near Delft Island early Tuesday, injuring two of them severely. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has responded strongly to the event, calling for Sri Lanka's acting High Commissioner in New Delhi to formally protest the action. 

Calling the action 'unacceptable', the Foreign Ministry stated, "An incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy during the apprehension of 13 Indian fishermen in the proximity of Delft Island was reported in the early hours of this morning". It further said, "Out of the 13 fishermen who were on board the fishing vessel, two have sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital." Three other fishermen on the same boat suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Indian Consulate officials in Jaffna have visited the injured fishermen and are providing all possible assistance.

"The Sri Lankan acting high commissioner in New Delhi was called in today morning to the Ministry of External Affairs and a strong protest was lodged over the incident," MEA said. The issue has also been brought up with the Sri Lankan foreign ministry by the Indian High Commission in Colombo. "The government of India has always emphasised the need to treat issues pertaining to fishermen in a humane and humanitarian manner, keeping in mind livelihood concerns," the statement continued. "The use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances whatsoever. Existing understandings between the two governments in this regard must be strictly observed," it added.

The Sri Lankan Navy stated that an accidental firing occurred when a group of Indian fishermen, acting together, tried to attack the naval personnel. "The Indian fishermen, as an organised group, have attempted to assault naval personnel and made an attempt to snatch a firearm from a naval officer, endangering the lives of the naval personnel. In the process, an accidental fire has taken place, causing slight injuries to two Indian fishermen," the Sri Lankan Navy said in an official statement.

On January 11, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested eight Indian fishermen for reportedly fishing in Sri Lanka's territorial waters. The arrests happened during a special operation in the sea area north of Mannar.