Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Sunday offered financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to four fishermen from Tamil Nadu arrested by Iranian authorities for allegedly violating the maritime boundary and returned home last month.
An official release from the Tamil Nadu government said Ms Jayalalithaa has ordered that the amount be released to four fishermen from Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.
It said the financial assistance was extended to the fishermen considering their “family situation and to enable to start a new life”.
The four fishermen hailing from Kanyakumari district, who were contracted by a UAE-based company, were arrested in February after they allegedly drifted into Iranian waters.
The Tamil Nadu government took up the issue with the Union government immediately and ensured that they were released from the jail and returned home.
“After they were released from the Iranian prison, they came to Chennai on May 1, 2016,” the statement said.
