Uvari fishermen detain two TNSTC buses with passengers in the night

In a shocking incident, two Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses with passengers were detained for about two hours on Thursday night by the fishermen using the banned purse seine nets after Fisheries Department officials tried to seize 42 insulated vehicles carrying several tonnes of marine products harvested using this fishnet.As Assistant Director of Fisheries Rajadurai went on leave, a team of officials led by Assistant Director of Fisheries, Thoothukudi, G.A. Bushra Shabhnam, who was in-charge of Tirunelveli, conducted a surprise check in Uvari following a tip-off that 52 country boats had gone for fishing with banned purse seine nets. The officials from Thoothukudi camped near Uvari, the largest coastal hamlet of Tirunelveli district, at dusk.While one of the two teams, led by Ms. Bushra, camped at Uvari check-post on East Coast Road to intercept the fish-laden vehicles proceeding to various destinations, including markets in Keralam, and seize them, the second team, led by Joint Director of Fisheries Ilamvazhuthi, waited at Navaladi check-post.The Uvari fishermen held talks with the officials and ‘offered’ to pay the fine for two vehicles while asking the officials to release the remaining 40 vehicles. “This is our usual practice for resolving purse seine net issues for decades,” the fishermen said.However, the officials were keen on confiscating all 42 vehicles, fully loaded with fishes harvested with banned purse seine nets. As their requests and threats failed to yield desirable results, the fishermen sounded the church bell to mobilise the villagers against the officials and detained two buses that entered Uvari around 9 p.m.Even though police, led by Thisaiyanvilai Inspector Ezhil Suresh Singh, arrived at the spot, they were just mute spectators to the development.“Instead of releasing the buses with passengers and booking the fishermen for using unlawful fishing net, the police asked us to slap a fine on just two vehicles and release the rest. As we refused, the stand-off continued even after midnight,” said a Fisheries Department official.On getting information, Collector Anand Mohan and Superintendent of Police Vishwesh Balasubramaniam Shastri rushed senior revenue and police officials to the spot around 10 p.m. to rescue the officials, who were verbally abused and threatened by the mob, and the passengers.Valliyoor Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkatesh Krishnan held talks with the villagers, but the fishermen did not yield, forcing the police to send the passengers in other vehicles.During the talks that concluded after midnight, it was decided to “temporarily suspend” use of purse seine nets until a decision was taken by the authorities.The fishermen claimed that purse seine nets could be used beyond 12 nautical miles as suggested by the Supreme Court. However, the Fisheries officials said these fishing boats, which were not fitted with GPS, were fishing within this boundary. “The SC has only given its suggestion of 12 nautical miles for using purse seine nets. But, using purse seine net is illegal in Tamil Nadu. Hence, we are enforcing law without the support from the police,” another Fisheries official said.Mr. Anand Mohan said this issue pertaining to the livelihood of fishermen had to be humanely approached. “At the same time, none can be allowed to threaten officials or detain buses with passengers. If it (using of purse seine nets) is continued, we will seize the fishnets,” he added. Published - November 13, 2026 07:43 pm IST