Firing near Bombay high- Navy passing off deliberate shooting as accident: Fisherman

The incident took place about 80 km off Mumbai near Bombay High where the oil rigs of ONGC Ltd are located, an area secured by the Navy.

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Luzi (23), a resident of Uttan village, who was fishing with 18 of his colleagues in their trawler Christwel, had entered into a verbal altercation with the Navy personnel on board T-14 vessel after the latter claimed they were fishing in a restricted area near Bombay High.

After being shot at, Luzi was quickly transferred to the Navy vessel that then took him to the ONGC platform, from where he was air-lifted and brought to Juhu airport to be admitted to Nanavati Hospital. “I remained unconscious throughout. After the firing I directly woke up the following morning on May 18 in Nanavati hospital, where my colleagues narrated the incident to me,” Luzi said. He was shifted for further treatment at INHS Ashwini Hospital in Colaba, where he was treated for two months. Luzi was finally discharged on July 17.

Commander Rahul Sinha, Public Relations Officer (Ministry of Defence), countered Luzi’s claims saying the incident was indeed an accident.

“There were 10-12 boats who were asked to disperse as they were fishing in a prohibited area around Bombay High but this boat did not. When we asked them for their papers, they refused and hurled abuses at the five Navy officials. When all means failed, warning shots were fired. They (Navy officials) did not even realise they had shot at the fisherman. It is only when the boat followed us and the officials were informed that a fisherman was unfortunately injured that we immediately took him on board and then airlifted him to Juhu and then later to Ashwini Hospital for treatment. We have given him (Luzi) the best of rehabilitation and are also looking to give him him employment. All this would not have been done if there was an intention to kill. The Western Naval command is internally probing the matter,” said Sinha. Zonal DCP Kirankumar Chavan said the Yellow Gate police has recorded statements of Navy official Rajesh C S, who is accused of firing at Luzi, and is currently out on bail. “We have not made any arrests as there are protocols. The next bail hearing is on August 8,” Chavan said.

Luzi, however, countered the Navy’s claim that his boat was in a “prohibited area”, stating that GPS locations can vouch that they were not within 500 metres from Bombay High.

rohit.alok@expressindia.com