The surging waves of the Bay of Bengal, adjacent to South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, have brought a deeply tragic truth to light. The bodies of nine fishermen have been recovered from a trawler that sank into the sea eight days ago. Even after so many days of the accident, six fishermen remain missing in the endless depths of the sea, and rescue teams are working day and night to find them.
Sequence of Events: How 'Jai Maa Kali' Went Missing
This trawler, named 'Jai Maa Kali', had set out into the sea to cast nets with 15 fishermen from Shankarpur port in Purba Medinipur district on July 2. However, after July 6, their contact with land and the world was completely broken. Initial investigation indicates that the bad weather and stormy waves of the Bay of Bengal made this trawler their victim.
Identification Becomes Impossible
According to administrative officials, due to remaining in the salty water of the sea for so many days, the bodies have become completely mutilated. The situation is such that recognizing the faces has become almost impossible. Now, DNA testing is the only way left for identification, after which the bodies can be handed over to their families.
Rescue Operation: 8 Days of Tireless Struggle
Clue: After eight days of continuous searching by the police and the Indian Coast Guard, a clue to this sunken trawler was found on Saturday near 'Bagher Char', about 35 kilometers away from the Bakkhali coast.
Recovery of Bodies: On Sunday, with the help of other trawlers, it was pulled to the Sitarampur coast of Patharprotima. Following this, in a rescue operation that lasted all night, 9 bodies of the unfortunate fishermen were pulled out from inside the trawler.
Three Lamps of the Same Family Missing
The most painful aspect of this heart-wrenching accident is that the missing people include three biological brothers from Odisha's Balasore district—Ravindra Majhi (52), Jayram Majhi (49), and Jagannath Majhi (45). Their relative, Sanyasi Majhi, said with tearful eyes that they often used to head out to sea from here.
Game of Fate: Initially, 16 people were supposed to go on this ill-fated journey, but fortunately, one person could not go at the last moment. The other victims are residents of Purba Medinipur, Howrah, and Nadia districts. The eyes of the relatives waiting for their loved ones outside the mortuary of Kakdwip Sub-divisional Hospital have now turned stony.
Announcement of Government Assistance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over this painful accident. He has announced financial assistance of two lakh rupees each to the families of the deceased from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). The administration is currently searching for the 6 missing people along with closely investigating the actual causes of the accident.
