Guwahati fish seller lands in trouble after selling 28-kg Barali fish

The department directed the Kamrup district fishery development officer to conduct the probe and initiate action against the offenders.
Barali fish. (Photo | EPS)
Barali fish. (Photo | EPS)

GUWAHATI: A gigantic fish, whose presence at a Guwahati market had drawn hordes of buyers on Thursday, has landed its seller into trouble.

Taking cognizance of social media posts on the sale of the 28-kg “Barali” fish at Ulubari fish market, Assam’s department of fisheries has ordered a probe to find out as to how the fish was caught despite a ban on fishing. The ban was imposed as it is the breeding season.

The department directed the Kamrup district fishery development officer to conduct the probe and initiate action against the offenders. Citing the ban on fishing, some social media users had demanded action against those involved in catching and selling the fish. 

Barali fish. (Photo | EPS)
Barali fish. (Photo | EPS)

Dozens of people had thronged the fish market in the heart of Guwahati on Thursday when local news channels reported the sale of the big fish. Some had come to buy it while others had come to have a glimpse of it.

The fish seller, Shyamal, had bought it for Rs.17000 from a fish dealer and made a profit of around Rs.6000 to Rs.7000 by selling it at Rs.1000 to Rs.1200 a kg. 

His joys, however, turned into a nightmare as he now anticipates police action against him. A team of officials of the department of fisheries visited the market on Friday and grilled him.

“I was told a case has been filed but it’s not my fault as I didn’t catch it from the river. I had bought it for Rs.17,000 from a fish dealer at Kolongpar Ghat in Sonapur. I learnt that a team of officials of the department of fisheries left for the place to interrogate the fish dealer,” Shyamal told this newspaper.

He added: “The head of the fish weighed seven kg which I sold at Rs.200-Rs.300 a kg. I had told TV journalists it was a Brahmaputra fish but later, I came to know it was of river Kolong,” he said.

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