Kerala: Fisherman suffers gunshot near INS Dronacharya in Kochi; probe ordered

According to an official from the Fort Kochi coastal police station, the injury was minor, and the bullet was found inside the boat itself.

A 60-year-old fisherman on Wednesday was shot in the ear in Kerala's port city of Kochi when he was coming to shore on his boat near a gunnery training school run by the Southern Naval Command. After inspecting the bullet, the navy said that it was not manufactured by them. The police began an inquiry and discovered that a gunshot landed in the boat, striking the fisherman.

A fisherman suffered a gunshot to his ear in Kochi.  (AP)

According to an official from the Fort Kochi coastal police station, the injury was minor, and the bullet was found inside the boat itself. He said as the incident occurred near the INS Dronacharya, a naval base gunnery school, it must be ascertained whether any fire exercise was undertaken during the day.

Meanwhile, defence sources said the gunshot could not have originated from the naval installation. They said naval officials analysed the ammunition in question and determined that it was a 2mm hunting or sporting bullet, not military grade. Much larger calibre bullets are used by the defence forces, an official was quoted as saying by PTI.

They also claimed that there is a high wall behind the shooting range to catch off-target or wayward shots and that even if a shot ricochets off the wall and travels out, it would be bent out of shape.

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The police said a forensic examination would be required before reaching any conclusions about the calibre of the bullet.

On Monday, two fishermen were killed and three others missing after strong winds overturned their boat off on Thiruvananthapuram coast, even as authorities in Kerala sounded a red alert in four districts. There were 25 people in the mechanised boat and 20 swam to safety after the mishap.