Braving cyclone, fishermen busy searching gold coins at seashore

U Kothapalli(Kakinada District): Braving Mandous cyclone and district administration's warnings and also chilly weather and rain, people are making frantic efforts to grab gold pieces at Uppada seashore, as some people got gold pieces during last cyclone.

In the wake of cyclone, local fishermen have suspended fishing activities and along with their families are busily searching for gold pieces near Upadda, Kothapatnam village of U Kothapplli mandal, Kakinada district. Not heeding the officials' alert warnings, they have been searching from 6 am to 11 am from Old Sivalayaam to Kothapatnam of Uppada seashore. The search started from Saturday and some of them have reportedly secured some gold pieces.

Despite the people's efforts to keep it as secret fearing police taking away their findings, word leaked and more people have joined in the quest for gold.

According to locals, for the last 30 years fishermen not only hunting for fish, but also hunting for gold pieces and coins during cyclonic season with good success. Normally people wear gold ornaments while taking a bath in the sea and may lose them. These missing ornaments might get surfaced and reach the shore during cyclones.

A fisherman said that 40 years ago there were temples and buildings abutting seashore and in due course of time they were submerged in water owing to tidal waves. He opined that the gold pieces hidden in the houses and in temples might be coming up on to the ground due to cyclone.

When The Hans India contacted Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) U Kothapalli GVS Prasad, he said that since fishermen are banned from fishing during cyclones, they hunt for valuable items that may reach the shore during cyclones. 'I came to know that some people secured coloured stones post cyclone. But I don't know about gold items coming from the sea,' he said. The MRO has instructed the officials of police and Archaeology departments to monitor the fishermen' activities.

Speaking with The Hans India, Archaeology and Museums Department, Kakinada Assistant Director K Timmaraju said that they heard the fishermen were searching for gold at seashore and the revenue department officials expressed their lack of awareness about this. He said that they came to know that ancient coins were found on the seashore, but revenue officials didn't give any information about this.

'However, I will talk with revenue officials and will inform the higher authorities if they don't reveal anything about it,' KoTimmaraju added.