Intercepted message may help identify boat

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Marine Police and the Indian Coast Guard has started a joint probe into the allegations of a mid-sea fight between fishermen from Jafrabad in Amreli district and some other fishermen from another Indian state. "We have an intercepted a message, which mentions the name of the boat that attacked the Jafrabad fishermen. We are trying to identify the boat as well as the person who flashed the message," said a senior marine poilce official.
Marine Police sources said eight fishermen were rescued from the capsized Jafrabad boat Veni Prasad were brought to Jafrabad on Monday afternoon by a Coast Guard team.
"After giving them refreshments, we started recording their statements. The capsized boat was also brought to the Jafrabad coast," said Marine police official. It is worth noting that on Sunday, fishermen from Jafrabad flashed a radio message that some boats have attacked them, about 50 nautical miles from the Jafrabad shore. "The fishermen alleged that these other fishermen pelted their boats with stone and attacked them, which resulted in the capsizing of one boat. Eight fishermen aboard that boat were rescued by fellow fishermen," said a senior marine police official. Senior Marine Police officials said their initial probe led them to an intercepted message by a man named Bharat, who said that a boat (named) was attacked by another boat (also named)."We are now trying to locate the boat allegedly involved in the attack and the man named Bharat, who is supposedly from another boat, to verify the facts," added a source in the Marine Police.
Marine Police sources also said they suspect that the fight may have happened over fishing in a particular area.
"Gujarat fishermen don't indulge in what is known as "Persian netting", in which an area of some 5 square nautical miles is surrounded by several boats. The fishermen then put together their small nets and lay them in the area, fishing out even immature fishes," said a marine police official.
Sometimes fishermen from other coastal areas come and do this type of fishing. "As even the immature fishes are netted, the area goes dry in sometime, leaving no potential catch for the future," said a Marine Police official.