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why the party had a Tamil in an extremely supreme position. The other is that that those senior members who knew about Kumar starting to question why he was sent off the country without informing any one of them.

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Death of 4 fishermen sparks anger in TN

Row with India on eve of SAARC Summit

By Easwaran Rutnam

A diplomatic row has erupted between India and Sri Lanka following Thursday night?s killing of four Indian fishermen when they strayed into Lankan waters and with Tamil Nadu demanding answers from the Central government over the frequent attacks, diplomatic sources told the Daily Mirror.

Two others were also injured in the shooting and were taken ashore for treatment. Indian websites blamed the navy for the incident saying it opened fire without prior warning.

The fishermen had ventured into the sea from Chinnathurai coastal village in Kanyakumari district, officials told PTI.

A diplomatic source said Tamil Nadu chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was furious over the latest attack and was demanding action from the Central government.

?The Navy has said it was not involved and that it was the LTTE. We also don?t feel it was the Navy because it wouldn?t take such a risk at a time the SARRC summit is about to begin. But of course we cannot draw any conclusions at this point so it will have to be probed,? the source told the Daily Mirror.

A Navy delegation is in New Delhi to discuss joint moves to curb LTTE arms procurement from that country as well as allegations the Navy was involved in attacks on Indian fisherman despite the Navy insisting it was the LTTE.

In a report published in the Daily Mirror earlier this week a top Navy official was quoted as saying that although there had been a lot of talk about joint patrolling of the seas by India and Sri Lanka to minimise incidents such as alleged attacks on Indian fisherman such a move was yet to materialise possibly owing to the pressure it will have on Tamil Nadu fishermen who often strayed into Sri Lankan waters for a better catch.

?We are planning a visit to India and we hope to discuss these issues with them?, the official said. The Daily Mirror learns the delegation left for New Delhi this week.

The latest development came despite India saying it had stepped up patrolling in the Palk Bay and in the Gulf of Mannar after the seizure of a LTTE boat packed with explosives.

?We have increased the number of marine commandos in the area,' commanding officer, Commodore P.E. Van Haltren, told the Indian media on Wednesday.

The attack on the Indian fisherman comes as President Mahinda Rajapaksa prepares to leave for New Delhi to attend the 14th South Asian Summit scheduled for April 3 and 4. Apart from attending the SAARC Summit, the President is expected to discuss bilateral issues with South Asian leaders while in New Delhi.At the Sessions, issues relating to the implementation of the SAARC Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), promoting intra regional trade, socio-economic development, and poverty alleviation and curbing terrorism are to be discussed.