Fishermen Injured in Mid-Sea Assault

Mangaluru: Three fishermen on a trawl boat faced serious injuries in a mid-sea assault by a group of fishermen on a purse seine boat, located 10 nautical miles off Kaup lighthouse. The incident occurred as the trawl boat, owned by Mohammed Mustaf Basha of Mangaluru, was returning after fishing. The victims, Parvathayya, Kondayya, and Raghuramayya, all from Andhra Pradesh, were employed by Basha.

The assailants, believed to be from Kaipunjalu near Kaup, allegedly looted fish worth Rs 2 lakh and four mobile phones. The trawl boat, with eight fishermen, got entangled in the net spread by the purse seine boat, triggering the assault. Around 5 am, seven to eight fishermen from the purse seine boat trespassed onto the trawl boat, assaulting the crew and transferring the fish catch to their own boat.

During the attack, Parvathayya suffered a bone fracture in his right leg, Kondayya sustained injuries near his waist, and Raghuramayya suffered a bone fracture in his left hand. Shivaraj and Sheenu on the trawlboat also sustained minor injuries. The assailants, wielding wooden logs, later fled the scene. Kaup police have registered a case under IPC sections and launched a search for the suspects, believed to be absconding. A spot mahazar will be conducted by Kaup police on Thursday using the Coastal Security Police patrolling boat, given that the incident occurred at sea.