The Koodankulam Marine Police have registered case against 36 fishermen, including 16 mechanised boat fishermen, for involving in a clash on the high seas on Friday night. The groups had hurled petrol and country bombs at each other.
Whenever, mechanised boats from the fishing harbours of Thoothukudi or Chinna Muttom near Kanniyakumari harvest fishes in areas close to the shores of the coastal hamlets of Tirunelveli district, it immediately triggers clash between the country boat fishermen of the district and the ‘intruders’ who violate the rule. It would often lead to the detention of the mechanised boats by the country boat fishermen, which would be released only after the damages caused by the larger vessels are rightly compensated.
When mechanised boat of one Sylvester from Chinna Muttom fishing harbor entered the area close to the Idinthakarai shore on Friday night, a group of country boat fishermen from Idinthakarai, who were fishing in the same area, opposed it after bottom trawling by the mechanised boats reportedly damaged the country boat fishermen’s nets.
As the heated argument intensified, country bombs and petrol bombs were hurled on the mechanised boat.
Subsequently, the Koodankulam Marine Police registered case against Sylvester and 15 others, all mechanised boat crew, and 20 country boat fishermen from Idinthakarai including one Arasu.
Peace talks in the presence of police and the revenue officials are to be held shortly to sort out the issue.
