BERHAMPUR: Aryapalli Marine Police in Ganjam district rescued five local fishermen on Saturday, who were allegedly abducted by their Andhra Pradesh counterparts on Friday. Sources said 19 fishermen of Aryapalli entered the sea on two boats for fishing on Friday around evening and had a confrontation with a trawler from AP mid-sea, five kilometres from the shore. Since the AP trawler was found fishing violating the Odisha Marine Fishing Act (OMFA), the Aryapali fishermen objected and that led to a heated argument between the two parties.
The spat turned ugly as AP fishermen took five local fishermen with them and drove into the deep sea. The rest 14 fishermen returned to Aryapalli at night and reported the matter to the Marine police. A team led by Chatrapur SDPO, Gourahari Sahoo and Marine PS, IIC, Sudipta Kumar Sahoo began an investigation into the matter, said additional SP Ajay Kumar Mishra. “Though the sea was rough last night, still we initiated a search with the help of Gopalpur Port authorities. We tried to contact the driver of the trawler and succeeded after a couple of hours. Soon, the trawler was traced in the sea under Baruva Marine PS limits in Andhra Pradesh,” informed Mishra.
The trawler driver said the five local fishermen in the trawler are safe and would be deboarded at Baruva, he added. Soon, Chatrapur SDPO and IIC, Marine PS with their teams reached at Baruva sea coast and coordinated with the officials and trawler members. However, the fishermen could not be deboarded at Baruva due to rough sea and were finally rescued at Bhanvnapoda Marine PS area in AP on Saturday noon, police said, adding, they were safely brought back to Aryapalli.
On interrogation, it was revealed that the altercation between the two parties was on the issue of cutting/damaging the fishing net of local fishermen. Police further maintained that the five Aryapalli fishermen aggressively went to the AP trawler on their own and demanded compensation. Fearing a threat to life and property, the trawler members drove away along with the five fishermen, said the ASP.
On the other hand, the rescued fishermen alleged that the AP fishermen took them away and tortured them during detention. There has always been a tussle between local fishermen and AP trawlers. They often enter the no-fishing zone of Ganjam limits and damage the nets of local fishermen besides manhandling them, the rescued fishermen alleged. “We urge action against them. Despite two marine police stations at Aryapalli and Sunapur, we do not have trained personnel, interceptor boats and infrastructure,” rued the local fishermen.
FISHERMEN CRY FOUL
Over 8 similar incidents reported during last two years
Most cases settled amicably
Even the Fisheries dept also seized some AP trawlers for violating norms
No action taken, thus encouraging AP fishermen.
2 interceptor boats provided at Aryapalli for patrolling in the sea.
Of the two, one at Rs 2.35 crore has a 12-tonne capacity, fitted with eco-sounder, radar, night vision lens, global positioning system and other equipment
The other vessel worth Rs 1.25 cr has five-tonne capacity boat and runs on petrol, with a maximum speed of 35 nautical miles per hour
Both are no match for the high capacity AP trawlers
Now both the boats are damaged and lying unused