Bhatkal: Seven fishermen from Bhatkal, accused of robbery and hijacking a Malpe-based fishing boat, have been granted bail by a Udupi court.

The fishermen, identified as Santosh Devi Kharvi, Gopal Madev Kharvi, Harish Narayan Kharvi, Subramanya Timappa Kharvi, Raghavendra Manjunath Kharvi, Nagesh Narayan Kharvi (all from Bhatkal Mavinkurwe Bunder), and Laxman Shaniyar Moger of Shirali Alvekodi, were represented by Senior Advocate Ravi Kiran Murdeshwar. He argued that the accused had no intention of committing robbery, emphasizing that the dispute arose from deep-sea fishing boats encroaching near the Bhatkal shore to fish. He highlighted their roles as providers for their families and community, their permanent residence in the area, and their willingness to comply with judicial bail conditions. The court subsequently granted bail to all seven fishermen.

ڈکیتی اور ہائی جیکنگ کے الزام میں گرفتار بھٹکل کے ساتوں ماہی گیروں کو ملی ضمانت

Background of the Dispute:  
On February 27, Bhatkal fishermen voiced their anger against two fishing boats, 'Krishna Prasad' from Malpe (Udupi) and 'Khilriya' from Mangalore. They accused these deep-sea fishing boats of illegally operating within a 6 nautical mile radius off the Bhatkal coast—a designated restricted area. The fishermen seized and towed these vessels to Mavinkurve harbour, issuing a stern warning to the crew against leaving.

The Bhatkal fishermen had previously reported such illegal activities to the Coast Guard, seeking enforcement against the restricted zone violations, but saw no action. A similar incident on January 12, involving another illegal fishing boat, ended with the boat being captured and delivered to authorities at Bhatkal Alvekodi port, yet no significant action was taken against the offenders, nor were substantial fines imposed.

The fishermen argue that despite their complaints, neither the Coast Guard nor the Fisheries Department has effectively prevented illegal fishing by large boats from neighboring districts, causing significant disruptions and financial losses to their businesses.

On February 27, after capturing two boats accused of illegal fishing, the fishermen expressed their anger, stating that if this trend continues, the authorities will bear responsibility for all calamities in the sea near the coast. They declared that any future captures of illegal boats will result in the auctioning of the fish caught on board, refusing to return the fish at any cost. During this, the owner of the Mangalore boat reached a compromise and secured the release of his boat. However, Chetan, owner of the Malpe boat Krishna Prasad, filed a complaint at Malpe police station, alleging his boat was hijacked and reporting the theft of fish worth Rs 8 lakh and 7500 liters of diesel. This complaint led to the arrest of the seven Bhatkal fishermen by the Malpe police.