Chennai, Dec 9 (IANS): Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko has sought the Central government's intervention to secure the release of Indian fishermen languishing in jails of Sri Lanka.

In a statement released on Friday, the senior leader demanded that the Central Government should put pressure on the Sri Lankan government for providing compensation to the families of the fishermen who were shot dead by the Lankan navy.

He also recommended the Central government to take diplomatic initiative with the Sri Lankan government to provide compensation to fishermen for the mechanised boats that were damaged by the Lankan Navy.

Vaiko said that several fishermen were shot dead by the Sri Lankan Navy and many brutally assaulted. He also said that costly mechanised fishing boats were damaged by the Navy including fishing nets and demanded that the Central Government should initiate diplomatic process to get compensation from the Sri Lankan navy for these excesses.

He said that recently 14 fishermen from Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy and urged the Central Government to take steps to release them immediately.

Several fishermen's organisations were on strike and had staged protest demonstrations and rail roko agitations in Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram for the immediate release of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu in the captivity of the Sri Lankan Navy.