The Jonakapuram-Moothakara coastal belt in the city where mobs resorted to violence on Friday was largely peaceful on Saturday.
No untoward incident was reported till dusk on Saturday, said City Police Commissioner S. Satheesh Bino, adding that the situation was under control.
Heavy police presence was seen all over the trouble-hit areas. The auction halls at Moothakara and Vaddy at the fish-landing sites inside the Tangasseri fishing harbour were deserted as fishermen based at the trouble-hit areas did not go to sea since Friday evening.
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A few fishermen who went for fishing by afternoon on Friday returned to the Vaddy auction hall early on Saturday with their catch.
Meanwhile, Minister for Fisheries J. Mercykutty Amma visited the affected areas in the morning and appealed for peace. She described the violence as “very unfortunate”.
The Minister directed the police to take firm action against those responsible for the violence. “There should not be attempts from any side to protect the culprits. The government has given strict instruction to the police in this connection. The police will also use CCTV footages to identify the culprits,” she said.
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Ms. Mercykutty said though there used to be sporadic violence in the area in the past, the Jonakapuram-Moothakara belt had remained peaceful for the past 15 years.
She said the government would take all possible steps to maintain harmony in the area. The Minister was accompanied by Assistant Commissioners of Police Rex Bobby Arwin and George Koshy, Fisheries Deputy Director C.T. Suresh Kumar, and leaders of fisheries organisations H. Basil Lal, A.K. Savad, and S. Nazimuddin.