Berhampur: As many as five fishermen from Odisha have allegedly been abducted by a group of fishermen from Andhra Pradesh while the former were fishing in deep sea, a source said Saturday.
The abducted fishermen are residents of Arjyapalli area in Ganjam district.
According to the source, 19 fishermen had gone fishing into Bay of Bengal early Friday in two country boats.
Things went south when a trawler from Andhra Pradesh allegedly entered the ‘no fishing zone’. Later, an altercation took place between two groups of fishermen.
Andhra Pradesh fishermen abducted five of the Odisha fishers following the latter’s resistance against the unauthorised fishing by the trawler, the source added.
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“When we saw a trawler from Vishakhapatnam, we told them to go back as it will affect our livelihood. However, they picked up a quarrel and kidnapped five of our fishermen after overpowering them,” one of the fishermen who managed to return to Ganjam shore alleged.
An FIR in this regard has been lodged with local marine police station.
PNN