Fisherman injured after being accidentally shot at in high sea by Indian Navy

A fisherman was injured after he was shot at by an Immediate Support Vessel (ISV) of Indian Navy which was on a coastal security patrol in the offshore development area at Bombay High. “While providing protection to the offshore oil rig, ISV on Sunday noticed a fishing boat anchored close to an oil platform. [caption id=“attachment_223708” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption]   Despite repeated warning when the boat refused to move out of the prohibited area, warning shots were fired into the water,” an official release issued by the Navy said. The bullet accidentally hit a fisherman on the boat, the release said. “The fisherman was immediately evacuated by helicopter to a hospital ashore for treatment. His condition is currently stable,” it said. An inquiry has been ordered by the authorities into the incident, the release further said. The Offshore Development Area is a very high security zone and is a no go area for normal shipping and fishing traffic, Navy officials said. The incident was immediately reported to the Joint Operations Centre which is manned round the clock and where all authorities concerned with coastal security are present. The fisherman’s relatives have also been informed, they said. The Mumbai police last night registered a case in connection with the incident. “We have registered a case under section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC against unknown persons and are probing the incident,” DCP (Port Zone) Kiran Kumar Chavan said. The fishing boat came close to one of the oil platforms of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) located in Bombay High whose oil rigs are secured by the Navy. Meanwhile, an ONGC official, denying any role in the firing incident as alleged by a section of fishermen, said in fact the corporation, after spotting the fisherman wounded, brought him to one of the platforms in their western offshore field and gave him first aid. Then it flew him in a chopper and got him admitted into the JJ hospital, he said. “Neither we have any armed guards at any of our oil well platforms nor is the security with us. Our offshore assets are protected by the Coast Guard and the Navy,” he said. It is up to the police to find who shot him or how he was wounded, the official said. PTI