Fisherman Dies After Needlefish Pierces His Stomach In Karnataka
The fisherman died two days after the incident at the KRIMS Hospital in Karnataka.
Published : October 16, 2025 at 8:19 PM IST
Uttara Kannada: A fisherman was killed after a Needlefish suddenly jumped into the boat and pierced him in the stomach while fishing in Karnataka’s Karwar, officials said on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Akshaya Anil Majalikar (24), a resident of Dandebhag, they said.
The incident took place when Akshaya went fishing in a boat in the Arabian Sea on October 14. While fishing, a Needlefish about 8 to 10 inches long jumped into the boat from the water and pierced Akshaya's stomach, causing serious injuries. Akshaya was admitted to the Karwar Government Medical College (KRIMS) Hospital for treatment.
Official sources said that the doctors had stitched the wound in the hospital and discharged him. However, Akshaya was admitted back to the same hospital on October 15 as the pain did not subside.
However, Akshaya died at the hospital around 5 AM on Thursday. Following the death, several fishermen and family members gathered near KRIMS Hospital and alleged that the death occurred due to the negligence of doctors. "Akshaya died due to the negligence of the doctors. They just stitched him up and discharged him. If a CT scan had been done and it had been found that the fish's thorn had entered his intestines, my son would have been alive," alleged the deceased fisherman’s father, Anil Majalikar.
He has demanded strict action against the doctors for not providing proper treatment. Meanwhile, responding to the allegations, the doctors clarified, "This is the fourth such case reported in the world. There was no negligence on our part."
"Fishing is an important occupation, so the government should provide assistance to the family of the young man who died unexpectedly," said BJP MLC Ganapathi Ulvekar. Ulvekar has demanded that Mankala Vaidya, who is also the District In-charge Minister and Karnataka Fisheries Minister, should consider the matter seriously.
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