Protests erupt in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthpuram: Protesters who alleged laxity on the part of the government in kick-starting and continuing with operations to rescue fishermen stranded in the sea after hit by cyclone Ockhi vented their anger on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his ministerial colleagues E. Chandrasekharan, Kadakampally Surendran and J. Mercykutty Amma in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday even as the death toll rose to 19.

The protesters blocked the Chief Minister for a few minutes while he was on his way back after meeting the cyclone-hit people at Vizhinjam in the evening while Mr Chandrasekharan, Mr Surendram and Ms Mercykutty Amma were heckled when they visited the areas in the morning. The Chief Minister who was scheduled to meet the victims at Poonthura later called off his visit. Early in the day, fishermen laid siege to various roads in the capital protesting the delays in serving cyclone warnings.

Meanwhile, fishermen and personnel of the Coast Guard and the Indian Navy recovered 11 more unidentified bodies, taking the toll to 19. Unconfirmed reports, however, put the toll at 24. Of them, nine bodies were found in seas in the capital and 2 from Kollam. According to official sources, around 690 people were rescued and there are 96 fishermen still missing.

The fishermen in Thiruvananthapuram district started the rescue operations early on the day though the government gave them permission only later in the day. Not less than 100 boats from various hamlets joined the search and rescue mission. By the night, they, along with the Navy and Coast Guard, brought home nine bodies, most of them as old as two days, to Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital (MCH). Fishermen recovered two bodies and the Navy helicopter recovered one at Kollam. The DNA tests to confirm their identities will be held later, sources said.

Around 48 fishermen were admitted to Thiruvananthapuram MCH, of which one Ratheesh, 30 of Pulluvila, was in critical condition. Government sources said the state suffered a loss of about Rs 17.2 crore by the impact of the cyclone which brought down 74 houses and partly damaged 1,122 houses. The government has opened 37 relief camps across the state for the affected.