JAGATSINGHPUR: Nearly 12 persons from the fishing community including five women under Erasama police station sustained serious injuries in a clash between two groups over catching fish in the Bagahadi River. Ten persons have been arrested in the incident and forwarded to court on Thursday.
Sources said a fishermen’s group Shola Bhai Kaivart Mahasabha granted licenses to different fishing communities in Paradip and Erasama to engage in fishing activities. Over the past three months, the fishermen from Jiraelo village in Erasama police station have been fishing in the river after obtaining permission from this Mahasabha. These fishermen have been relying on this river for their livelihood.
On Thursday, a confrontation occurred as around 50 fishermen from Kaliapat, Gandikipur, and Mangrajpur in the Kujang police jurisdiction, led by Ramesh Samal and his supporters from Ambiki village under Erasama police jurisdiction, protested against Naresh Das and other fishermen from Jiraelo village who were also fishing in the Bagahadi River. But they did not pay heed leading to a violent clash among them.
In the incident many houses were ransacked and fishing nets worth more than Rs 1 lakh looted.
While seven persons were injured from Das’ side, five sustained injuries from Samal side. Both Das and Samal have lodged FIRs in the Erasama police station. Police have registered two cases in this connection and the injured were admitted to Erasama Hospital for treatment.IIC of Erasama police station Niranjan Das informed that 10 persons including five from each group have been arrested and forwarded to the court.