Kendrapada: A group of fishermen, engaged in illegal fishing, attacked a patrolling team of Forest department and took away two seized trawlers in Odisha’s Kendrapada district on Sunday.
According to sources, the team of Forest officials, led by forester Suresh Kumar Prusty was patrolling in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in the deep sea to prevent fishing. The state government has banned fishing in the marine sanctuary for protection of Olive Ridleys.
As the patrolling team went nearly 7 km off the shore at around noon, they came across three trawlers with nine fishermen fishing in deep sea. The Forest officials seized the trawlers and told the fishermen to follow them.
Meanwhile, the fishermen informed other trawlers in the area. Soon fishermen in six trawlers came close to the trawler of Forest department and cordoned it.
The fishermen fired in the air as a warning to the Forest officials. The patrolling team also resorted to blank firing to protect themselves. In the chaos, 8 fishermen of two seized trawlers managed to escape.
However, the patrolling brought one seized trawler and a fisherman to their office for investigation.
