NAGAPATTINAM: Around 20 people from Tharangambadi were booked on Sunday for assaulting a police inspector who tried to stop them from marching towards their neighbouring village Chandirapadi in protest against the usage of purse seine nets.
The two groups of fishermen from Tharangambadi and Chandirapadi were at loggerheads with each other over the usage of purse sine nets, with the former opposing it. On learning that their counterparts too were protesting to lift the ban, the Tharangambadi fishers had allegedly rallied towards Chandirapadi village from Tharangambadi Bus Stand.
On information, the police inspector P Selvam (5) had tried to stop them. "The men assaulted him with objects they were in hands. We are investigating to find out the assailants," said M Aiyyasamy, a police officer from Poraiyar Police Station. The police then dispersed the crowd by lathi charging.
Based on the complaint by Selvam, a case was filed against 20 anonymous suspects under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 294 (b) (obscene language), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant), 353 (assault a public servant), and 506(ii)(criminal intimidation). Meanwhile, the district administration has appealed fishers from both sides to refrain from violence.