Indian Naval ship responsible for Suvarna Tribhuja tragedy: Madhwaraj

Udupi: A ship of the Indian Navy had collided against the fishing trawler Suvarna Tribhuja from Malpe leading to the death of seven fishermen on board, said former Udupi MLA and former minister Pramod Madhwaraj and also demanded a high level enquiry by a retired Supreme Court judge.

Mr Madhwaraj spoke to reporters while waiting to meet Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy who is undergoing Ayurvedic treatment at a private resort at Muloor.

Pramod said that a fishing boat could never capsize in the sea in the absence of strong winds and added that the Navy should be held responsible for the death of the seven fishermen. He also recalled his earlier allegation that INS Cochin had rammed into the Suvarna Tribuja.

He expressed suspicion on how the wreckage of the fishing boat was found now, that too after the Lok Sabha elections are over and after a local BJP MLA took the fishermen families there.

A minimum compensation of Rs 10 lakh must be provided to the family of each of the fishermen, he demanded.