Sri Vijaya Puram, May 13: A coordinated rescue operation carried out by personnel of OP Betapur and the Police Marine Force (PMF) led to the successful rescue of a fisherman who reportedly went missing in the creek waters of Betapur during a fishing trip.
Police said the operation was launched immediately after information regarding the incident was received from a local resident, triggering a search effort in the creek area that eventually led to the fisherman being traced and rescued safely from the shore.
According to the information shared by police, the incident came to light after Nitai Mistry, a resident of Duke Nagar, approached OP Betapur and informed authorities that he and another fisherman, identified as Dinesh, had gone fishing in the Betapur creeks.
During the fishing activity, Dinesh allegedly lost consciousness and fell into the creek waters. Nitai reportedly attempted to rescue him immediately and managed to hold onto him for some time in the water.
Police said both individuals then attempted to swim towards the shore in an effort to reach safety. However, while trying to board their dinghy, Dinesh reportedly disappeared in the creek waters, following which Nitai informed the police.
Upon receiving the information, a police team from OP Betapur, along with PMF personnel, rushed to the spot and began an extensive search operation in the surrounding creek area.
The rescue team conducted searches across the water channels and nearby shoreline areas as part of the operation. After sustained efforts, the missing fisherman was eventually located near the shore and rescued safely.
Officials said the timely response by the police team and the coordinated action of the rescue personnel played a crucial role in tracing the missing individual before the situation could worsen.
Creek regions across the islands are often used by local fishermen for daily fishing activities, though changing tidal conditions, strong currents and isolated stretches can make rescue operations difficult in the event of accidents or emergencies.
Incidents involving fishing dinghies and sudden medical or weather-related emergencies have periodically highlighted the risks faced by fishermen operating in remote creek and mangrove areas of the islands.
The rescue operation at Betapur also drew attention to the role of local police outposts and marine units in responding to emergencies in coastal and creek regions, particularly in areas where access is limited and rescue efforts depend heavily on rapid coordination.
Police have not reported any major injuries in the incident, and the rescued fisherman was brought to safety following the operation.
Authorities have meanwhile appealed to the public to continue sharing credible information related to crimes, emergencies or illegal activities with the nearest police station or through emergency contact numbers.
Police stated that information can be passed through helpline numbers 100, 112 and 03192-273344. Officials added that the identity of informers would be kept confidential and suitable rewards would also be provided in deserving cases.
The incident once again underlined the importance of immediate reporting and swift emergency response in remote coastal areas of the islands, where delays in communication can often complicate rescue operations.
