Mangalore: Vengeful Poisoning of Prawn Culture Field ? - Loss Placed at Rs 9 Lac
Spot report by Melka Miyar (GA/MB)
Pics Rajesh Shetty
For Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore
Mangalore, Jun 2: In an out of poll scene, a field used for prawn culture at Amblamogaru in Munnur village under the Ullal assembly constituency was found poisoned by some miscreants on Saturday June 2. As a result the owner of the prawn business is said to have incurred a total loss of Rs 9 lac.
The prawn cultivation belonged to one Sharath Karkera who is a BJP activist. Speaking to the media, Sharath claimed it to be the result of political rivalry.
Speaking to Daijiworld Sharath said that he had certain problems with one Mohammad Salih, a Congress activist. The latter owns a chicken stall at Konaje. Sharath said that he used to throw poultry wastage into the prawn pond. “When he did not mend his ways despite repeated warnings, I complained with the Ullal police a few weeks ago. Accordingly Salih was summoned and warned. Hence apparently he had some score to settle with me which he did by poisoning these prawns,” said Sharath.
Sharath also said that while he was at sleep near the pond besides his manager on Friday night, a group of 6 to 7 people came towards the pond. But he did not take it seriously. When he came to know that prawns started dying in the pond on Saturday, he realized that it was the handiwork of Salih," he added.
It needs about 200 days to grow the prawns in pond and only a week was remaining to fish them out from the pond and sell. Sharath had 75,000 prawns in the pond, involving an investment of over Rs 2.5 lac. Sharath was expecting to gain a net profit of Rs 8 to 9 lac.
Earlier, Sharath was working for Congress party and now he has joined the BJP. Hence, the Congress leaders are taking a revenge against him, Sharath accused.
Chandrashekhar Uchil, BJP candidate at Ullal constituency has paid visit to the spot immediately upon receipt of news and requested the Ullal police over his mobile, to take action against the miscreants. At the same time he blamed it to be the handiwork of Congress since they know that their defeat was certain them in Ullal.