the goan I network
VASCO
According to one complainant, Edmund Fernandes told the police that while fishing off the Vasco coast, some trawler owners from the Betul-Cutbona Jetty pelted stones at his trawlers and directed his crew not to fish.
“The trawler owners from Betul then entered my trawler and at knife point directed my crew to take the trawler along with the catch of about Rs 20,000 to Cutbona Jetty,” stated Fernandes.
Fernandes further stated that through his trawler coxswain, the Betul trawler owners called him at Cutbona Jetty and to his surprise saw two persons alighting from
his trawler and charged
towards him. “The two persons abused me and threatened with dire consequences,” stated Fernandes in the complaint. Fernandes added that fearing for his life and property, he rushed back to Vasco and informed his other
colleagues.
Speaking to the media, NCP State President Jose Philip D’Souza, who is one of the members of the association, said the police should immediately try and release the trawler and initiate action against the two persons.
Mormugao Police said they have registered the complaint and will inform the Fisheries Department to intervene into the matter.
Acting on both complaints, Mormugao police late Monday evening booked eight fishermen from Betul on charges of threatening trawler crew
and damaging two trawlers from Vasco. The accused have been named as Pundalik Kerkar, Savio Silva, Leslie Cardozo, Krystal Silva, Ajit Chodankar, Victor Gurjao, Vinay Tari and Cryan Fernandes. The accused have been booked for rioting, mischief, unlawful assembly, threatening, damage to
property and wrongful restraint,
police said.
