1 killed, 100 hurt as fishermen clash with police in AP

Visakhapatnam, Mar 27 (UNI) Eerie silence descended on the trouble-torn Gangavaram fishing village after a fisherman was killed and over 100 injured early today following a pitched battle between the fishermen and the police.

Heavy stone-pelting followed police lathicharge and bursting of several rounds of teargas shells in a clash with fishermen protesting against not allowing them to stop the construction work of a private port coming up in their village, about 28 km from the city.

A fisherman identified as C Nookaraju died after being hit by a teargas shell. The injured included 23 policemen. Four policemen and 10 villagers, including a woman, had to be hospitalised while others were given first aid.

The villagers are demanding a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package and a separate fishing jetty to continue their livelihood next to the port.

They are opposed to a site north of the village which government said would be allocated for landing of the fish crafts.

A similar incident, though of less magnitude, had occurred two days ago when officials with police support forcefully tried to shift the fishing boats from the Gangavaram beach to Yarada, where the government proposed to build the alternative fishing jetty.

With the ban orders under 144 of the CrPC in force, the village resembled a fortress with a large number of Armed Reserve and other police forces disbursing people whenever they tried to gather at the village square.

Police Commissioner V S K Kaumudi visited the village and talked to the policemen and village leaders. Revenue District Officer S Venkateshwar Rao read out the statement made by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in the Assembly convening an All-Party meeting in Hyderabad to discuss the issue in the presence of the villagers. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs three lakh for the deceased.

CPI State Secretary K Narayana rushed to the village from and was seen pacifying the villagers.

Meanwhile, the AP Human Rights Forum has condemned the police action saying the state government failed to come to the rescue of deprived fishermen and used brutal force to put down their just protests instead of handling the issue in a democratic manner.

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