Mumbai : The city’s Ganesh devotees have been warned not to venture into deep waters at Girgaum Chowpatty during immersions as fishermen have observed the presence of stingrays in the area. Local fishermen have been assisting the civic body for the safety of devotee, ever since the 2013 stingray bite issue.
In 2013, around 70 devotees suffered injuries due to stingray bites at Girgaum Chowpatty. They were rushed to local hospitals after they complained of severe pain, and a few people also suffered from bruises and severe bleeding.
Over the last two weeks, local fishermen, in coordination with the fisheries department and the BMC, have been surveying the beaches in south Mumbai.
Damodhar Tandel, the local fishermen’s leader, said: “Our fishermen said they did not find any shoal of stingray around the beaches but at a few places, they did find one or two. It’s breeding season so they can be around but not in numbers as huge as two years ago.”
According to experts, the stingray is not a venomous fish. However, its bite can be painful and causes irritation. A bad bite can also results in bruises and bleeding. Stingrays have sharp tail spines and humans are usually stung in the lower limb region, when they accidentally step on it.
