‘For us, it is a sad news’: Forty dolphins wash ashore in Tuticorin coast, four die
Fishermen and marine officials raced against time in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin Monday night to push back as many as 40 dolphins into the sea after they washed ashore and got stranded on the beach. Despite their best efforts, four of the dolphins died.
Local fishermen who spotted the dolphins immediately alerted district officials. A joint rescue team of the Central Marine Fish Research Institute (CMFRI) and forest department worked throughout the night to save them.
Although all the dolphins were pushed back into the sea, four carcasses washed ashore later and local people fear more dolphins could die.

“Most of the stranded (dolphins) were between two and three metres long weighing 75 to 130 kg. Of the dead three are females and one is male. Post-mortem report says two of them were suffering from slight lung infection,” said Dr Manoj Kumar, CMFRI scientist based at Tuticorin centre. However, he said the reasons for the strange phenomenon can be gauged only after detailed investigations.
“We are keeping a strict vigil along the shore with forest officials. Since dolphins come under the protected group of animals their upkeep and protection come primarily under the forest department,” said Dr L Ranjith, another scientist at the CMFRI.
This is not the first time Tuticorin district has been witnessing mass marine deaths. Last year, 83 dolphins were washed ashore and more than half of them later perished. In 1974, 70 pilot whales were washed ashore and many died later.

“The spotted dolphins are deep sea species and their usual habitat is a depth of 50 m and more. But of late these seas mammals are often getting stranded near shores,” said Kumar. A detailed study is needed to understand changes in their habitat, he added.
“For us, it is a sad news. Dolphins are gentle animals. Often we gauge the presence of large school of fish by observing their behaviour,” said a fisherman who skipped his day duty to keep vigil on the beach near the fishing hamlet in Punnanikayal.

1 village, 1 tractor, 15 men and 10 days: Tikait's formula for farmers' protest

Covid-19 LIVE: Hundreds of people protest against face mask rules in US state
- In India, the cases reached 11.19 million and the death toll stands at 157,656. The country has inoculated more than 20 million in the ongoing vaccination drive.

Kerala CM slams union minister amid calls for resignation over smuggling case

Tamil Nadu bus conductor who planted 3 lakh saplings in 30 years wins praise

Congress releases first list for Assam after ‘rumblings’ in unit

‘Golden moment’: TMC ex-MP Trivedi joins BJP

A month on, questions remain over cause of Chamoli disaster

20 years on, court acquits 122 people accused of SIMI links

Bihar finance dept sounds alert against attempts of irregular fund withdrawal
- The finance department has written to the top brass of various departments, offices and administration to ensure strict compliance to the finance and treasury rules for maintaining fiscal discipline.

Union minister proposes collection drive for beautification of Jagannath Temple
- In a letter to Puri king Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb, Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan urged him to launch a mass fund collection drive to enable contribution by crores of devotees of Lord Jagannath for the development of the Jagannath Temple heritage corridor.

Cumulative Covid-19 vaccinations cross 20-million mark: Government

Issue of national security key as govt decides on cryptocurrency, says Thakur
- Cryptocurrency is, however, not legally banned and the government is in the process of enacting a law on this matter.

Need to develop military into ‘future force’: PM Modi at top commanders’ meet
- The PM asked the three services to rid themselves of legacy systems and practices that are no longer relevant.

Transgender help desk set up at police station in Hyderabad

In Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district, 2 arrested for brandishing gun at wedding
- According to the police, some young men were dancing at the DJ night in a wedding ceremony, during which one of the accused pointed the pistol at the forehead of another youth.