THOOTHUKUDI: A 19-year-old fisherman from Tharuvaikulam suffered severe burn injuries after a few unidentified miscreants hurled petrol bombs on a mechanised fishing vessel, five nautical miles off the Koothankuli coast late on Thursday.
The victim, Periyarasu (19), who suffered 40% burns, has been receiving treatment at the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, a senior official from the fisheries department suggested that the assailants could be smugglers, since no fishing vessel from Koothankuli had ventured into the sea over the cyclone warning.
Also, the department dismissed claims that a recent clash between fishermen from the two regions over the damaging of fishing nets had resulted in the petrol-bomb attack.
Sources said that a group of Tharuvaikulam fishermen ventured into the sea on October 29. While returning to the Tharuvaikulam harbour on Thursday night, they were allegedly attacked near the Koothankuli coast. John, the driver of the Tharuvaikulam mechanised fishing vessel, told TNIE that a few persons on a country boat chased them off the coast and hurled petrol bombs at the vessel, which triggered a fire.
Periyarasu, who had gone to put out the fire, was hit by one of the petrol bombs and suffered burn injuries on his face, chest and back, the driver said. Periyarasu was taken to the Tiruchendur GH, and was later shifted to the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital, said Thomas Surender, the boat owner. “Five out of seven petrol bombs hurled at the vessel exploded, while the remaining two were handed over to the police for investigation,” Surender added.
On Friday, members of various fishermen associations submitted a petition to Superintendent of Police Albert John, seeking action against the culprits. The senior fisheries official said the department would file a complaint with the police against the assailants.
It may be noted that the Thursday incident was the second such attack on the Tharuvaikulam fishermen off the Koothankuli coast. On October 7, Vinodhan, a fisherman from Tharuvaikulam, sustained knife injuries. The Koodankulam Marine police registered a case and initiated an investigation.