Committee to probe into fire mishap at Vizag fishing harbour

Andhra Pradesh govt sets up committee to probe Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour fire, which gutted 45 boats. Team of Crime, Task Force and Central Crime Station (CCS) wings to interrogate suspects and trace absconders. Fire caused by clash between boat owner and YouTube channel owner. Fishermen express concern over lack of security arrangements. Andhra Pradesh Mechanised Boat Owners' Welfare Association to raise security issue with Collector.

The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a special committee to probe into the massive fire at the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on November 19 (Sunday) night, in which 45 mechanised boats were gutted .

The committee comprises officials from the revenue, fire services, fisheries, and police departments. Apart from this, the government has also formed a team comprising the personnel of the Crime, Task Force and Central Crime Station (CCS) wings to interrogate the suspects who were detained, and also trace those who absconded after the incident.

“We have registered a case of accidental fire. The Assistant Commissioner of Police (Harbour) is the Inquiry Officer. We have detained some people to find out the main kingpin in this case and their motive behind the incident,” said Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner A. Ravi Shankar.

It is learnt that there was a clash between the owner of the boat where the fire broke out and another person who runs a YouTube channel. The YouTube channel owner, belonging to the fishermen’s community, reportedly had taken an advance amount from the boat owner who wanted to purchase another boat. Both reportedly exchanged arguments on Sunday after the boat owner wanted his money back and the YouTube channel owner refused. They had a liquor party on the boat.

“Some persons who were on the boat reportedly set on fire. It is the preliminary information we have as of now. We are still investigating the case,” said a police official.

Meanwhile, several fishermen at the fishing harbour expressed concern that there were no proper security arrangements in place. Beat constables of the State police were not paying attention as they were friendly with some fishermen. On the other hand, the neighbouring CISF personnel of the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) give less priority to the fishing harbour as the port area is their priority, a group of fishermen said.

Andhra Pradesh Mechanised Boat Owners’ Welfare Association president Vasupalli Janakiram said that their association had raised the security issues several times with the authorities concerned. “We have brought the issue of setting up a police outpost inside the harbour to the notice of the Collector. We will raise the issue of security once again,” he said.