Hit-and-run sea mishap: Sailor arrested by Kerala police

A sailor on board MV Prabhu Daya, suspected to have been involved in the March 1 hit-and-run sea mishap off Kerala coast that left three fishermen dead, was on Thursday arrested by Kerala Police officials probing the case.

"We have completed our preliminary investigations in the case and have arrested one sailor from the ship. He is from Gujarat. We will be taking him to Kochi. However, we will interrogate the captain of the ship again," K Mahesh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Alappuzha, camping here for the case, said.

The officer also indicated that the Singapore-flagged vessel, now anchored off Chennai coast, would be moved to Kochi port to facilitate further investigations.

Kerala Police had framed charges against three crew members -- one second officer (now in Sri Lanka), captain and the sailor -- under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

The second officer allegedly jumped off M V Prabhu Daya on March 3 and was rescued by a Sri Lankan fishing boat the next day. He was treated at a Sri Lankan naval hospital and later transferred to Trincomalee Government Hospital, where he is now "recuperating".  Asked about the second officer, he said, "We will wait for him to come back. At present, he is being treated for pneumonia."

Meanwhile, Kerala Police Inspector General K Padmakumar (Alappuzha Range) met city Police Commissioner JK Tripathy here. "Kerala Police sought support from our side. Chennai Police will extend all support...," Tripathy said.

Kerala Police officials had interrogated the crew over the past three days. However, a probe into the hit-and-run incident by a team of officials from Mercantile Marine Department is still on.