Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 13: A deep sea fishing boat from here was detained by Maharashtra fishermen on Tuesday midnight on the allegation that it had crossed Maharashtra state limits. The fishermen were handed over to the coastal security police there. The incident happened near Devgarh in Maharashtra.

The boat with the name,' Shreelaxmi', with seven fishermen aboard, are in the custody of the coastal security police of Maharashtra. All the fishermen including captain of the boat, Rama from Manki, Honnavar, are from Uttara Kannada district. The boat had left Malpe shore on Monday.

The fishermen said that they were engaged in fishing 12 nautical miles off the shore, duly insisting that boats from other states can also conduct fishing there. They said that Maharashtra fishermen are unnecessarily harassing them. They have urged the state government to intervene and solve the matter.

Raviraj Suvarna, president of Malpe Fishermen and Captains Association, said that the fishermen from here were illegally detained even though they were conducting fishing outside the Maharashtra state border. He has condemned the action of Maharashtra police in oppressing the fishermen illegally.