5 injured as police patrolling boat capsizes

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 18 (UNI) Five people, including four police personnel, were injured when the boat in which they were travelling capsized after hitting a rock at Vizhinjam Coast here today.

According to hospital sources, the injured were identified as Ummer Sherif (28), Harikumar (28) and Shibu (28) -- all attached to the Special Armed Police, Devadas (44) a Head Constable attached to the Vizhinjam station and boatman Santhosh (30).

They were admitted to the Medical College Hospital here.

The accident occurred when the police team were engaged in their usual patrolling off Vizhinjam Coastal waters to check the illegal use of underwater explosives to catch fish.

Following widespread complaints from fisherfolk community in the area against large-scale use of 'Thotta', an improvised explosive device which it kills all the fish in the immediate vicinity and causes irreparable damage to the marine environment, the district authorities intensified police patrolling in Coastal waters in the area following the complaints.

Fashioned from gelatine sticks, 'thotta' is widely used for illegal catch of fish like Mackerel, Tuna and Sardine that move in shoals.

UNI