One fisherman injured in firing, eleven arrested

Kendrapada, Nov 25 (UNI) Eleven fishermen were arrested and one of them injured when a joint patrolling party of the Coast Guard and Orissa forest opened fire to disperse them fishing illegally inside the protected Gahirmatha marine sanctuary today.

According to official sources, one Ram Chandra Soren was injured in firing and shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack when the Coast guard opened fire in self defence.

Forest Officials said a group of fishermen in several fishing boats were seen fishing illegally inside the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.

When the joint patrolling team of the forest and the Coast guard intercepted their fishing boats, the fishermen attacked the patrolling party.

The Forest department has imposed a ban on fishing inside the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary from November 1 to May 31 as a precautionary measure to protect the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles who come in lakhs for mass nesting and breeding to the Gahirmatha coast every year.

Last year in January, one fisherman was killed when the forest officials opened fire to prevent the fishermen from West Bengal entering into the restricted zone for fishing.

UNI XC DP SJC LL DB2158