Body of fisherman found

T. Anandan went missing in the early hours on Saturday after the boat he was in was hit by a ship

The rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard for a fisherman who went missing nearly a week ago came to an end on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday evening, a group of fishermen from the Kottivakkam fishing hamlet in north Chennai spotted a body in the sea.

According to the police, on Thursday, six fishermen from Royapuram went into the sea along with the Coast Guard and recovered the body.

T. Anandan (45), a fisherman from Tiruvottiyur Kuppam, went missing in the early hours on last Saturday after the boat he was in was hit by a ship. Two other fishermen — R. Viji (30) and S. Santhosh (19) — were rescued by another fishing boat.

The body, which was found in a decomposed state, was recovered from the sea around 10.15 a.m. A DNA test confirmed the body was Anandan’s. After a post-mortem, the body was handed over to Anandan’s family.

“Earlier, a man missing case was filed. Now, the case has been modified as an accidental death under section 304(A) of the IPC,” said deputy commissioner of police (Washermenpet) Najam Hoda.

Anandan has two daughters and a son. “He was the lone bread winner of the family and now our future is uncertain,” said Nandini, Anandan’s younger daughter.