Syed Usma, Ajith win angling contest

Syed Usman from Mysuru caught the heaviest fish at the International Angling Competition organised at the northern breakwater of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) at Panambur.

He had caught a fish weighing 9.64 kg and was awarded a prize of Rs 50,000.

The contest was organised by Gifted India, Anglers Club and Indian Fishing Game Association.

Rakshith Theophelius of Bengaluru won the second place, with a catch weighing 6.6 kg and a prize money of Rs 25,000. Ajith Kumar of Kerala won Rs 10,000 for catching the highest number of fish, while Arjun Chavan of Pune won the second place with cash prize of Rs 5,000. A special prize was awarded to Krishnakumar Kannur.

The two-day angling competition had 110 anglers participating in it. The event elicited curiosity and cheer from the local too. Anglers from not only Karnataka and Kerala, but also from the West Asian countries and Portugal participated.

The fish were meant to be caught in the bait but left back into the waters, immediately after weighing, instead of being taken away.

There was opportunity for 20 people for angling along the 1-km stretch of the breakwater for a period of one hour.

Mangaluru North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty distributed the prizes. CISF Assistant Commandant S N Chowdary and Mangaluru Anglers Club President Shameer Kotekar were present.