A fisherman was killed and two others had jumped off board for their lives when a clash broke out on a deep sea trawler off the shores of Nilwella in Dikwella area on Friday.
The 49-year-old victim identified as Abeysuriya Patabendige Sarath was beaten to death with a wooden bar by one of the four members of the boat. Two other fishermen who were also injured in the attack had jumped into the sea were later rescued by another boat.
They are being treated at Batheegama Hospital in Dikwella. The body of the deceased remains at Matara Hospital Morgue pending post mortem, the police said.
The suspect responsible for the assault has not been apprehended at the time this edition went to press. Dikwella Police is conducting investigations.