Pushpa Kar, a resident of Chakphuldubi village on Sagar Island in West Bengal became a lakhpati overnight after she caught a 52-kg Bhola fish. She caught a massive Bhola fish and sold it for Rs 3 lakh.
A local said, "The woman, Pushpa Kar is a resident of the Chakphuldubi village. On Saturday, she spotted the fish floating in the river and jumped in. It took some effort on her part to drag it to the riverbank. Locals then helped her carry the fish to the market. It was identified as a 'Bhola' fish. The fish was probably killed after colliding with a passing vessel."
She sold the fish at the local market at a whopping Rs 6,200 per kilogram. According to local traders, the fish would have fetched more if it hadn't started decomposing.
Even though a fish this huge cannot be consumed since its flesh becomes rubbery, its internal organs like fat of the fish or the blubber, are sold at high prices and even exported to Southeast Asian countries. Dried blubber, also known as Fish Maw can fetch Rs 80,000 per kg or even higher prices. While some people prefer the Fish Maw, others purchase dried blubber for its supposed medicinal uses.
A trader was quoted by Times of India as saying, "Traders normally extract the internal organs from the fish and then sell the carcass to those who go around villages and towns, displaying the preserved fish for a price at fairs or similar events."