Maldives releases eight detained Indian fishermen

Tuticorin: Eight Indian fishermen who were detained by the Maldives authorities on February 24 for fishing in their national waters, were released on Tuesday following intervention of the Tuticorin district administration, Tamil Nadu government’s public department and the ministry of external affairs (MEA).

“The fishermen have set off from Kulhudhuffushi Island, Maldives, at 12.05 on Tuesday afternoon and are expected to reach Tuticorin on Sunday morning,” Tuticorin collector K Senthil Raj said and added that they will be accompanied by the Maldives Coast Guard till they leave their national waters.

The detained fishermen have been identified as S Antony Michael Bharat, G John Samuel, G Antony Arul Raj, T Ganagaraj and A Abisek Raj of T Saveriarpuram, A Antony Rabin of Vellaippatti all from Tuticorin district and S Jebamalai Raj of Narippaiyur and S Irudhayaraj of Kadaladi both from Ramanathapuram district.

Last month, they went fishing in a mechanised multi-day fishing vessel by name ‘A. Sarolin’ from Tharuvaikulam in Tuticorin district. On February 24 they were detained while they were fishing near Kulhudhuffushi Island.

The fishermen were detained on charges of intrusion and fishing in their waters illegally and for fishing by using gillnet, which is banned in that country.

According to Joseph Kutty K the Attache (consular) in the High Commission of Indian in Male, the fishermen will reach Tharuvaikulam.