Another Myanmar-origin raft carrying ritual items washes ashore near Velankanni

A Myanmar-origin raft, believed to have been used for religious rituals, washed ashore at Prathabaramapuram beach near Keezhaiyur on Friday. The raft, carrying items associated with spiritual practices, was spotted by villagers who alerted the Keezhaiyur Marine Police

A Myanmar-origin raft, believed to have been used for religious rituals, washed ashore at Prathabaramapuram beach near Keezhaiyur on Friday. The raft, carrying items associated with spiritual practices, was spotted by villagers who alerted the Keezhaiyur Marine Police.

The unmanned structure, measuring 20 feet in height and width, was brought ashore by authorities. According to Marine Police sources, the raft is constructed with 100-litre capacity iron barrels serving as floats while the upper portion is made of wooden planks. It is surrounded by iron gates on all sides and designed in the shape of a tower.

Initial investigations revealed that the raft likely originated from Myanmar as it bore inscriptions in Burmese. Such rafts are traditionally released into the sea in Myanmar as part of rituals honouring the deceased. It is suspected that strong tidal currents carried the raft to Tamil Nadu’s coast. Further inquiries are under way.