Two months on, 8 Kanyakumari fishers seek release from jail
Lakshadweep based Indian coast Guard arrested all the eight fishermen as the boat they were on board has fake registration number.
KANYAKUMARI: Fishermen from Kanyakumari district ventured for fishing near the union territory of Lakshadweep arrested two months ago by the Indian coast guard, suspecting them as terrorist remain in Lakshadweep prison expecting the union government's merciful eyes turn towards them.
Seven Kanyakumari fishermen--William son of Manuvelpillai, M Naccians, Derrin son of Dennis, Cleetus son of Joseph, Jorjith son of Rajendran, Binu son of Natarajan, and S Saktjivel along with a Kerala fisherman, Muthalif of Azhapuzha ventured for fishing near Lakshadweep islands on two months ago on May 8.
The fishing boat S S Rifai with the registration number IND-LD-KP-MP-185 was arranged by Surath Dulha son of Hamsakova of Kalpeni, Lakshadweep.
However as the fishing crew was engaged in deep sea fishing in the waters of the union territory of Lakshadweep on May 24, 2019, the Lakshadweep based Indian coast Guard arrested all the eight fishermen as the boat they were on board has fake registration number.
The investigation by Lakshadweep police too disclosed that the fishing vessel was originally registered in Tamil NAdu (registration number: IND-TN_15-MM-5661 and Surath Dulha of Lakshadweep repainted it in white as fishing vessels in Lakshadweep should be painted white.
Surath too was complained to have created fake registration documents and hired the eight KUmari fishermen, who however are innocent, said Rev Fr Churchill, general secretary of South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF).
Making an appeal to the central government, Tamil Nadu chief minister, administrator of the union territory of Lakshadweep, Kavaraty and to the state government of Kerala demanding the unconditional release of the eight Tamil Nadu and Kerala fishermen, who are in Lakshadweep prison for more than 75 days, the SAFF general secretary too wanted the immediate arrest of Surath Dullah of Lakshadweep, who forged the documents of the fishing vessel and misguided the innocent fishermen for his benefit.
SAFF too petitioned the Kanyakumari district collector, Prashant M Wadanere, who assured the bereaving families of the fishermen in detention at Lakshadweep prison to take up the issue with the state government.