Fishermen from Thumba clashed with another group from Karunagapally off the Thumba coast over violation of fishing boundaries early on Sunday. The clash on the seas resulted in four fishermen from Karunagapally being forcibly abducted and brought ashore before being locked up in a church room at Thumba.
The Kazhakuttam police said a team from the station reached the spot and freed the fishermen from the room on the premises of a church, by noon.
Boat captured
The fishermen from Thumba turned restive and refused to let go of a boat that they captured along with the men. Senior police officials and the district administration had to intervene.
Truce talks ended with the assurance that the Coastal police would register a case. The administration told the fishermen that steps would be taken to ensure that there would be no more violations of the fishing boundaries. The police said agreements that were reached upon earlier between fishermen’s organisations in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam had stipulated that those from Kollam could not fish up to 12 nautical miles off the coast of Thiruvananthapuram.
However, on Sunday, fishermen from Karunagapally in eight boats had allegedly violated this agreement, resulting in the violence.
One group locks up another in church
Issue over violation of fishing boundaries
