Malpe, December 24: The search operation for eight fishermen who were missing in the deep sea along with the boat continued on Monday, but no clues were found so far, sources said.

The family members of eight fishermen boat owner Badanidiyur Chandrashekar (40), Damodar Badanidiyur (40), Lakshman of Kumta (45), Sathish (35), Harish (28), Ramesh (30), Jogaiah (40) and Ravi Monkey (27) were panic. All of them had ventured into the sea in Suvarna Thribhuja boat on December 13 at 11 pm from  Malpe port. After December 15 midnight, all of them were not reachable and missing. It is said that the boat was missing around 40-50 km Goa-Rathnagiri route from the sea shore.

As a missing case registered at Malpe police station, Fisheries department and police have informed the Mangaluru Coast Guard who in turn informed the Goa Coast Guard. Now, both Goa and Mangaluru Coast Guard teams have been searching for the missing boat and fishermen, but no information was available, sources said.

Fisheries department deputy director Parshwanath told Varthabharathi that ‘Mangaluru Coast Guard officials are in touch with us. They have continued their search operation. But no information is available so far”, he said.

Kidnap suspected

This is the first incident in Malpe port where fishermen were missing along with the boat. Some boats of Malpe have been searching in Goa-Rathnagiri sea range, but no information was received. If the boat is believed to be drowned, there must be some clues like diesel smell, cans or parts of the boat must have floated on the water. But there was no such clue in the sea. So, it is suspected that pirates might have kidnapped them, said Malpe Fishermen Association president Sathish Kunder.

CM contacted: Pramod Madhwaraj

Former fisheries minister Pramod Madhwaraj said that he has informed Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and DGP Neelamani N Raju over phone on missing of fishermen along with a fishing boat from Malpe port.

As the fishermen met Madhwaraj at his home and informed the incident, latter had contacted the CM and the DGP and urged them to take the issue seriously and constitute a special team to trace the fishermen shortly.

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Bhopal (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said India made a strong but a bit late entry into the semiconductor industry, adding that the country will soon become self-reliant in the sector and start exporting.

He also said the geographical location of Madhya Pradesh is so attractive and its land so fertile that one can earn crores of rupees by investing even a small amount in the state.

Addressing the 'Abhyudaya Madhya Pradesh Growth Summit' here, he said, "We have made a strong entry into the semiconductor industry, although a bit late. In no time, we will not only become self-reliant in the semiconductor sector, but will also start exporting it."

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On the occasion, Shah inaugurated as well as performed the groundbreaking ceremony of industrial projects of Rs 2 lakh crore on the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee.

Remembering Vajpayee, he said, "Atal ji was a great orator, a sensitive poet, a leader dedicated to public welfare and remained 'ajatashatru' (person without enemies) in politics."

Shah also paid tributes to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya on his birth anniversary and C Rajagopalachari on his death anniversary.

The Union minister said Madhya Pradesh was once considered a backward state in the field of electricity, but today it has surplus power.

In cleanliness also, the state has left the entire country behind, he said.

Shah also inaugurated the Gwalior Fair and dedicated to people the renovation work carried out at the Atal Museum on this occasion.

According to officials, 25,000 beneficiaries and thousands of entrepreneurs and investors are participating in the Growth Summit, organised to mark the birth anniversary of former PM Vajpayee.

These industrial projects will generate 1.93 lakh employment opportunities, an official said.