River police seize illegal nets, arrest 281 in weeklong nationwide drive

The River Police have intensified nationwide operations to protect fisheries resources and ensure safety on waterways, resulting in major seizures and arrests over the past seven days.

During the operations, the River Police recovered a total of 4,56,24,465 meters of banned illegal fishing nets, 3,915 kg of fish, 50,000 fish fry, and 1,120 kg of jellied shrimp, said a press release of the force.

In addition, 456 bushes used for illegal fishing activities were destroyed from rivers across the country.

Legal action was taken against 84 bulkheads in the Naval Court, while six dredgers were seized for operating without valid documents.

As part of the crackdown, 285 individuals were arrested, and 80 cases were filed.

These include 53 cases under the Fisheries Act, 10 under the Reckless Speeding Act, six cases of unintentional death, two narcotics cases, and one case each under the Naval Accident Act, River Pollution Act, extortion, Marine Fisheries Act, and murder, along with four Sand Mahal cases. During the operations, eight bodies were also recovered.

The River Police stated that the seized illegal nets and jellied shrimp were destroyed in accordance with the law.

The recovered fish were distributed to orphanages, while the fish fry were released back into the water, reaffirming the force's commitment to conservation and humanitarian efforts.

The River Police have said such operations will continue to safeguard aquatic resources and maintain law and order on the country's waterways.