NAGAPATTINAM: Fishermen from Melapattinacheri blocked the State Highway connecting Karaikal and Nagapattinam at midnight on Tuesday to protest the violence that broke out at their hamlet earlier that day.
The hamlets of Melapattinacheri and Keelapattinacheri have been at loggerheads over auction at Pattinacheri fish landing centre. According to sources, an altercation broke out between the youth of the two hamlets earlier in the day, in which a fisherman from Keelapattinacheri was badly injured.
Hours later, a group of over 40 fishermen from Keelapattinacheri entered Melapattinacheri, vandalised houses, assaulted the residents and fled. Residents of Melapattinacheri blocked traffic on the highway in protest. Police pacified the protesters. Traffic was affected for over 30 minutes.
"We are registering separate cases for the protest and the violence, and arresting people from both sides. The clashes were mainly because of the dispute over auction at the fish landing centre," Nagapattinam SP G Jawahar told The New Indian Express.
Four persons from Melapattinacheri and three from Keelapattinacheri were arrested in this connection. Several others involved in the violence are allegedly absconding.
According to sources, Pattinacheri has two fishermen hamlets - Keelapattinacheri and Melapattinacheri. Fishermen from Keelapattinacheri were holding a monopoly over the sardine trade at the auction hall in the local fish landing centre.
On June 15, Melapattinacheri fishermen blocked the State Highway, demanding their rights to auction their catch. They requested the district adwministration to intervene and neutralise the monopoly. On June 18, Keelapattinacheri fishermen vandalised boat engines and nets of at least seven fishermen from Melapattinacheri.
During a meeting held at the RDO office in Nagapattinam on June 18, it was decided to constitute a committee, including members from the fisherfolk panchayats and administration officials, to resolve the issues.
On Wednesday, fishermen from both hamlets did not go fishing. An official said, "We were able to ensure auction at the fish landing centre without any issues for a week. But, mild exchange of words is often becoming flashpoints."