After five days of intense investigation, police booked Nani under IPC Sections 437, 428 and 285, altering the case from accidental fire.
Published Nov 25, 2023 | 6:13 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 27, 2023 | 11:36 AM
Fishermen attempting to contain the fire at Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour. (X)
The Andhra Pradesh police on Saturday, 25 November, said a carelessly thrown cigarette butt was the reason for the massive fire in Vishakapatnam jetty, which destroyed over 30 fishing vessels on 19 November.
Aside from boat damage — with each of the boats worth around ₹25 lakh-₹50 lakh — no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
Earlier local YouTuber and fisherman, Local Boi Nani, has been detained by the police in the investigation. He was suspected to have been part of the late-night gathering in the port, along with other fishermen, after India lost the 2023 ICC World Cup.
The YouTuber has gained some popularity (1.65 million subscribers) on the social media channel for his vlogs showcasing fishing and the fishermen’s lifestyle at sea. He also uploaded a video of the fire accident on his YouTube.
According to PTI, Vasupalli Nani (23) was consuming alcohol with his uncle Allipilli Satyam on a boat at the harbour.
“They consumed liquor together. Later, Nani threw a non-extinguished cigarette stub onto the nylon fishing net of an adjacent boat,” said Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner A Ravi Shankar at a press conference.
The fishing net caught fire and the flames spread to other boats, prompting the duo to flee.
Disregarding the gravity of the situation, Nani and his uncle went home to sleep.
Later, Nani returned to the jetty and realised that it was his act of throwing the stub which caused the fire and warned his uncle not to disclose it to anyone.
After five days of intense investigation, police booked Nani under IPC Sections 437, 428 and 285, altering the case from accidental fire.
According to police, footage of Nani fleeing the jetty, where the fire originated, at 10.08 pm on 19 November through the dry dock gate proved crucial to zero in on him.
Further, a witness corroborating the unique horn sound of the accused’s scooter on that fateful night proved to be key, among others.
Speaking to South First, Fishing Harbour ACP Moses Paul earlier stated, ”Around 50-60 boats are parked at 0 number jetty. A boat, owned by fisherman Balaji, caught fire, but with the help of some fishermen, it was de-anchored and left at sea. However, due to the tides and winds, it returned and spread the fire to other boats.”
“Since these are fisherman boats, they have some diesel and cylinders on board and these caused the fire to spread more rapidly. However, with the assistance of the National Disaster Response Force and Visakhapatnam Port Trust, the fire was brought under control,” he said on 20 November.
Kameshwar Rao, a businessman based out of the Fishing Harbour, informed South First, ‘When I arrived at the scene after receiving information about the fire incident, I observed a group of people partying. However, as time passed, other boats caught fire and it remains uncertain what transpired.”
Rao added, “Some boats, carrying 3,000 litres of diesel, caught fire, while others, loaded with fish stock and scheduled for auction in the wee hours, also ignited. This will impact business for the next 15 days, as the site needs to be cleared for the arrival and sale of other boats.”
As many as 30 fishing boats were completely gutted and 18 were partially damaged in the blaze.
The Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, under the control of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust, covers a sprawling 26-hectare area and was inaugurated in 1976. Situated on the east coast of the city, it is recognised as one of the largest fishing harbours in India.
Approximately 800 mechanised boats are in operation along the Visakhapatnam coast.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that his government would compensate the fishermen up to 80 percent of the losses they incurred in the fire accident in Vishakapatnam.
(With PTI inputs.)
