SRIKAKULAM: Two days after the last boat arrived at Donkuru in Ichchapuram mandal, 30 more fishermen arrived at Gollagandi village of Sompeta mandal on Wednesday in two motorised boats from Chennai defying lockdown. They started from Chennai on April 17. It may be noted here that 82 fishermen had arrived in Idduvanipalem and Donkuru coastal villages in six boats on April 18, 19 and 20 from Chennai. However, the police intercepted them and sent them to quarantine centres.
According to sources, the Srikakulam fishermen purchased each boat at `1.3 lakh from their Chennai counterparts to reach their native villages. As a strict vigil is being maintained along the coast by setting up 40 check-posts in various villages, the police caught the fishermen and shifted them to quarantine centres. On the other hand, eight fishermen managed to reach Palasa from Paradeep of Odisha.
Of the eight, six belong to Nuvvalarevu village of Vajrapukotturu mandal and two to Kakinada. According to Palasa police, the group came to Behrampur (Odisha) from Paradeep by car and from there they reached Ichchapuram by foot. They reached Palasa by a Visakha dairy van and when the police checked it at Laxmipuram toll plaza, the duo were caught. Immediately, the police shifted them to quarantine centre in Palasa.
Meanwhile, fishermen villages on the coast are scared as the exodus of fishermen from different States has been continuing unabated from April 18. Srikakulam along with Vizianagaram are the two districts in the State that have not recorded even one coronavirus case. SP RN Ammi Reddy directed the police manning the check-posts to maintain 24x7 vigil along the coast to prevent unauthorised entry of fishermen from other States. Speaking to TNIE, the SP said criminal cases were registered against the fishermen who came to Srikakulam from other States by violating nationwide lockdown.