Delhi couple buy 5 kg of live fish at Dhanushkodi, release them into sea; online debate follows

A couple from Delhi has found itself at the centre of an online debate after trying an unusual way of saving sea fish. The couple visited Dhanushkodi beach in Tamil Nadu, bought 5 kg of live fish from local fishermen and released them back into the sea.

The incident was claimed in a post on Twitter. It carries a video in which a woman is seen releasing the fish into the water, visibly emotional. The video is spreading fast on social media.

Social media users have split into two camps. Some saw it as a kind act, while others saw it as a pointless step. The user who shared the video criticised the couple's decision. He wrote that a couple from Delhi had bought 5 kg of live fish from fishermen at Dhanushkodi beach and released them into the sea again. He then taunted that the sea gains nothing from this "donation", and that it seems your brain needs a little oxygen, adding that common sense is not something everyone has.

After the post went viral, many users asked whether buying fish from fishermen and releasing them into the same sea makes any real difference.

One user commented that the couple bought fish, released them into the sea and called it a "rescue operation". According to the user, the fishermen got their money, the couple felt they were "saviours", and common sense drowned in the water.

Another user defended the couple. The user said it was their own wish, and perhaps saving the fish gave them happiness. The user conceded that the fish might be caught in another fisherman's net or become prey for other predators. Still, the user asked what if even one of these fish survived and lived out its full life in the sea. According to the user, that may well have been the couple's aim. The user said they should not be trolled without understanding their point of view, and that at least now they would sleep peacefully, because they had given these fish a second chance at life.

A third user asked, "Why this anger? The anger should be directed at those who killed or hurt animals, not at those who freed them. What is wrong with this? And if other animals had been saved from the clutches of people preparing to eat them, would you still show the same sympathy and concern?"