Beltangady, 31 May

Thousands of fish were found dead near the vented dam at Shishila in Dakshina Kannada district, close to the Shishileshwara Temple, causing alarm among devotees and conservationists. The discovery of a copper sulphate packet near the site has fuelled suspicions of poisoning.

Locals discovered thousands of fish floating in the water and washed ashore in the protected Matsyatirtha zone on Saturday. Locals suspect that toxic chemicals were deliberately released into the waterbody on Friday night, leading to the mass fish kill.

Notably, the scene, extending about two kilometres around the temple’s sacred fish habitat, is a designated conservation zone where fishing is strictly prohibited. Causing Residents and devotees to demand an immediate inspection by the authorities, scientific testing of water samples, and stringent action against those responsible for the incident.

The Shishileshwara Temple in Belthangady taluk is famous for the ‘Devara Meenu’ (sacred fish), where devotees in large numbers throng to offer prayers and feed the fish.

“Locals are concerned that mixing toxic substances like copper sulfate into the water not only harms the fish but also affects the entire aquatic ecosystem, water quality, and environmental balance,” Matsya Hitarakshana Vedike President Jayaram Nellithaya said.

Vedike has urged the police, fisheries department, and temple administration to conduct a scientific investigation and take strict legal action against the culprits, citing the use of toxic chemicals to kill fish,  disregarding legal and environmental regulations.