New Delhi, July 18, IRNA – India’s main opposition party, Bhartiya Janata Party Tuesday demanded an apology from the US authorities for the killing of one Indian fisherman and injury to three others in firing from an American naval ship off Dubai coast.

'A US Naval Ship has attacked Indian fishermen with machine guns as a result of which one fisherman is dead and three have been injured. BJP condemns the incident which has happened off the coast of Dubai. Witnesses say that the shooting happened totally unprovoked. Warnings were not even given to the fishermen,' BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

The opposition party demanded an apology from the US authorities.

'There should also be a comprehensive inquiry into this entire matter. The UAE government should immediately file a police complaint into the matter.

More importantly, the External Affairs Ministry in India should pro-actively take steps to ensure justice is done to the poor fishermen whose only fault it was to go out to earn their living,' Sitharaman said.

Meanwhile, India on Tuesday sought a thorough probe by UAE and US into the killing of an Indian fisherman by the US Navy near Dubai on Monday and termed the incident as “unfortunate.”

Terming the killing as 'unfortunate,' External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said here that his Ministry was in touch with its ambassador in Dubai. 'I learned from the ambassador that the UAE government has filed a case in this incident and are proceeding according to the laws of that country,' the minister said and hoped that 'necessary action' will be initiated by the US.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, 'Our Embassy in Washington DC has been in touch with the US Government since midnight IST Monday.

Our Embassy in Abu Dhabi is working with local authorities to carry out full investigation into the circumstances leading to this unfortunate and tragic incident. 'The Acting Consul General is in Jebel Ali to provide all necessary assistance,' he said.

Condoling the death of the fisherman, who has been identified as Sekar of Periyapattinam in Ramanathapuram district, the MEA said,'We will stay in regular touch with the US and UAE authorities to ascertain full facts and take appropriate further action in the matter'.